Top 50 Horror Movies of All Time

Greetings, reader!

Well, I've been doing a series of movies-by-genre posts lately, and Halloween happened to fall on a Thursday, so this was a no-brainer - except, I've already done a post on my top 10 favorite horror movies a few years ago! Sure, the ranking has changed a bit over the years, but it's similar enough that it would've felt like a lazy rehash. So, instead, I'm expanding the premise - with absurdly short descriptions to compensate for the long-ass list, these are the 50 best horror movies of all time!

Here are my honorable mentions: Godzilla Raids Again (1955), It: Chapter Two (2019), King Kong (1933), Planet Terror (2007), The Purge: Election Year (2016).

50. Doctor Sleep (2019)

Much like the Doctor Sleep book, this The Shining pseudo-sequel doesn't hold a candle to the original but holds its own with its share of decent scares.

49. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

An atmospheric fusion of the horror and musical genres, yielding memorable results.

48. The Wolf Man (1941)

Some cultural aspects have aged poorly, but other than that, it's a classic horror flick from Hollywood's original monster craze.

47. Friday the 13th Part II (1981)

Many forget that it's this slasher sequel where the fabled Jason Voorhees is the main villain for the first time, so points for that!

46. Salem's Lot (2024)

The brand-new Salem's Lot adaptation doesn't quite nail the atmospheric creepiness of the masterpiece it's based on, but the plot and characters are wonderfully adapted and the horror does get quite intense.

45. Carrie (1976)

The horror isn't even the main point in this psycho-drama, but it's creepy enough and a great adaptation of Stephen King's debut novel.

44. Annabelle Comes Home (2019)

The Conjuring franchise is such an awesome dive into the horror genre's potential that even some of its semi-average instalments made it onto the list.

43. Pet Sematary (2019)

A less faithful adaptation than the original film based on King's scariest book, but out of the two Pet Sematary movies, the newer is undoubtedly the scarier (still doesn't hold a candle to the source material, though).

42. The Babadook (2014)

Would be in the top ten if this was only based on how scary the film is (seriously, Jesus Christ), but being a great horror movie is about more than just that.

41. Hereditary (2018)

Overrated in the grand scheme of things, but definitely a well-directed flick that broke important new ground into the genre.

40. The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

"This was somehow both the most cliché horror film and the least cliché horror film I've ever seen"

-My buddy Henrik after we watched The Cabin in the Woods

39. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

A love letter to cinema's greatest slasher franchise, and a welcome return for Jamie Lee Curtis as horror cinema's ultimate 'final girl'.

38. The Vvitch (2015)

Robert Eggers' debut film proves that he did not come to fuck around, but to do his part in reshaping the genre.

37. A Nightmare on Elm Street III: Dream Warriors (1987)

Fun, cheesy and hammy to the maximum, and Freddy Krueger is just such an entertaining and iconic horror antagonist.

36. Us (2019)

Better as a movie than as a horror movie, if that makes sense, but the horror ain't bad either.

35. Christine (1983)

Yet another King adaptation, this is in the very veins of vintage, not-that-scary-but-still-somehow-awesome-horror-cinema cult classics. A great one to balance out a horror marathon.

34. A Quiet Place (2018)

A neat premise that will have you on the edge of your seat!

33. Pet Sematary (1989)

While it's not as intense and frightening as the remake, I appreciate how faithful this one is to the book's plot, and how well it nails the creepy vibes in the build-up phase.

32. Nope (2022)

I always appreciate when a filmmaker finds a new way to do horror, and Jordan Peele seems to invent new methods and subgenres with each of his films - voices and camera angles play a big part here, but not in the usual way.

31. Midsommar (2019)

Ari Aster is a legend for making just the scariest shit in broad daylight, proving that the genre doesn't need darkness and shadows in order to succeed.

30. The Cabinet of Dr. Cagliari (1920)

This one might not have the most intense jump scares or up-to-date visual horror, but being the first horror movie ever made, I'd argue that its influence on aspects of the genre (such as its existence) counts for a lot.

29. The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The catalyst of the found-footage subgenre really struck gold, and let's face it, it was all downhill from there (although that one Doctor Who episode is cool as fuck).

28. Annabelle: Creation (2017)

A proper prequel with a uniquely creepy atmosphere, improving greatly on the first Annabelle.

27. Friday the 13th (1980)

Wait, if Jason isn't the killer in the original Friday the 13th, then who is? Watch this campy classic to find out. I'm afraid at lakes at night because of this damn film.

26. Saw (2004)

Horror based on gore and ick almost never works half as well as genuine suspense and creepy atmospheres, but exceptions can be made when you have A) one of the genre's greatest villains, B) one of the genre's best soundtracks and C) the nostalgic value of being the first horror film I ever saw.

25. Halloween II (1981)

Not as groundbreaking as the first but pretty much every bit as good in terms of horror cinema, completing the genre's most awesome double feature.

24. The Thing (1982)

John Carpenter is one of the genre's greatest directors, and he works wonders with this intense-as-hell whodunit.

23. Halloween (2018)

Like H20, but Jamie Lee Curtis gives even less fucks after her second 20-year hiatus, and her ultimate face-off with Michael Myers is one for the ages.

22. Longlegs (2024)

Some might call recency bias on ranking this year's breakout horror film so highly, but hey, it was pretty much the most scared I've been in a movie theater, and an unforgettable horror flick overall.

21. The Exorcist (1973)

One of the cinematically greatest films to fall into the horror genre, even if the scariness-aspect never really hit my personal subjective nerves all that much.

20. The Conjuring (2013)

A masterfully paced modern horror flick, so good that it spawned a cinematic universe trying to replicate (or expand on) its glory.

19. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

An extremely rare case of a sequel in a slasher franchise being better than the original - the fourth Friday the 13th film (very much not the final one despite the title) is the franchise's peak, and I will die on this hill.

18. Jaws (1975)

John Williams and Steven Spielberg team up to show how they can make an entire generation afraid to go into the water with just two notes and the trick of not showing the big bad until the final act.

17. Nosferatu (1922)

Man, pre-Hitler Germany was COOKING with their cinema, and this trailblazer of the horror genre is a fine example.

16. Scream (1996)

Wes Craven manages to parody the tropes of the genre, while simultaneously making a decent horror film in its own right all while making fun of horror cinema - not an easy balance to hit.

15. Frankenstein (1931)

Frankenstein isn't a super-loyal adaptation of Mary Shelley's book nor is it the most frightening viewing experience, but I just love old-school horror cinema so much in its own delicate way, and this film hits in the vein of the romance of that era.

14. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

A suspenseful, classy and massively impactful milestone of zombie cinema.

13. Get Out (2017)

Jordan Peele does an expert job balancing genuine horror with political commentary and surprisignly efficient comedy in the first-ever horror flick to get an Oscar nomination for writing.

12. Ju-on (2002)

Also known as the original The Grudge, this Japanese horror masterclass will terrify the f**king hell out of you with its expert sound design and cinematography.

11. Alien (1979)

The scariness in the mystery and potential of outer space is utilized to a maximum in this intense, timeless classic.

10. The Lighthouse (2019)

Psychological horror done right, with the frightening imagery, imaginative cinematography and sledgehammer acting performances really sealing the deal.

9. The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Down to every small detail, I can't imagine a conventional modern horror flick being a more perfect representative of the genre and its potential than this authentically creepy, magnificently paced work.

8. Godzilla (1954)

The Japanese were so very ahead of their time when they made the crown jewel of monster cinema, one that still stands the test of time.

7. Dracula (1958)

For those who romanticize the genre and like their horror classy and elegant, you can't do any better than this absolute chef's kiss of a movie.

6. Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock changes the course of cinematic history by showing just how much you can do with the right soundtrack, expert editing and a well-written villain.

5. Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)

For my weird subjective tastes, this underrated Nightmare on Elm Street reboot it hands-down the scariest movie I've ever watched, and the only one that genuinely made me lose sleep, so kudos to Wes Craven for that achievement.

4. It (2017)

The greatest horror book of all time is adapted into a movie that makes some bold-ass changes to the story, but 100 per cent retains the atmosphere of the book (also, I saw it before I read it, and the curiosity sparked by this film is what inspired me to become a Stephen King mega-fan, so my journey with this genre wouldn't be nearly as deep if it wasn't for It being so damn good).

3. The Shining (1980)

Also a Stephen King adaptation, and objectively not very good as a book-to-movie adaptation, but Stanley Kubrick was such a genius of filmmaking that he just sort of accidentally made a horror masterpiece in its own right, no matter how recklessly it treats the source material - I love the book and movie equally, albeit in very different ways.

2. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Genuinely creepy as f**k, with a wildly creative premise, and unforgettable villain, an excellent group of heroes, a spine-tingling score and some of cinema's best jump scares - the full package.

1. Halloween (1978)

With its atmospheric utilization of the inherent creepiness of the spooky time of year, its pitch-perfect score, its perfectly paced plot, its unbeatable combination of great villain and great final girl, and its brand of horror that relies on suspense and editing choices rather than blood and gore, the original Halloween is, in my view, the crown jewel of the genre.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as my genre project continues with the top 15 fantasy movies of all time.

Top 15 Sci-Fi Movies of All Time

Greetings, reader!

My dive into the best of various genres continues with this week's edition, concerning a genre very dear to me - these are the greatest science fiction movies ever made. Like my previous best-of-genre lists, it's not exactly a list of the greatest overall movies that happen to fall under the sci-fi genre, but rather a ranking of how good they are as sci-fi movies. I hope you enjoy!

Here are my honorable mentions: 12 Monkeys (1995), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Gravity (2013), Looper (2012), Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023).

15. Planet of the Apes (1968)

Exploration has always played a big part in the science fiction world, and this 60's classic begins in a way that leans heavily into that plot device: a group of astronauts, having been traveling from Earth nearly at light speed for over a year, wake up from hibernation as they descend on a new planet. The exploration of this world leads to some startling discoveries and surreal moments, in the very vein of the genre.

Planet of the Apes is best remembered for its twist ending, and rightfully so - don't worry, I won't spoil it here for those who have been meaning to catch this flick for the last 56 years but just haven't gotten around to it yet. However, without spoiling the twist, I will say that it serves the core tenants of the genre: it isn't just mind-blowing fictional storytelling on its own, but what it has to say about humanity is a perfect example of how science fiction can be used to make some serious points and ask important questions about the real world, via the lens of imaginative stories.

14. Arrival (2016)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, a modern filmmaker with one of the deepest senses of understanding the sci-fi genre among his kind, Arrival is one of the best films to show to someone who doesn't like sci-fi because they think the genre is limited to films like Independence Day and the MCU. As a fan of the genre, I often hear self-proclaimed movie enthusiasts dismissing sci-fi because "it's just lasers and aliens and space fights so it's hard to relate to / care about what's happening", and fellow sci-fi enthusiasts who know what the genre has to offer will know how infuriating that is.

With a film like Arrival, you get a story that really makes us humans look in the mirror, pondering on borderline existential topics while also taking a fascinating look at language and communication. It's a slow-paced and philosophical take on the first-encounter-with-aliens premise, equipped with an ending that is devastating (or endearing, depending on your viewpoint) and will leave you with many interesting thoughts running through your head.

13. Blade Runner (1982)

With this Ridley Scott classic, you get an absolute staple of the genre. A must-see for people getting into sci-fi, Blade Runner introduces an imaginative view of what our future might look like, with a semi-dystopian and very cyberpunk tone and some extremely cool concepts in the plot. Chief among them is the idea of replicants, bio-engineered synthetic humans who serve as cheap labor for actual humans, as well as blade runners, the humans sent to hunt down any replicants gone rogue.

Like any good sci-fi, Blade Runner doesn't stop with the neat premise, but uses it to take a deep look at humanity itself: when the rights of the replicants are called into question, the philosophical side of the genre is on full display. Blade Runner offers food for thought, some thrilling action sequences, a memorable aesthetic and one of cinema's prime ambiguous endings.

12. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

As was the case with my list of the greatest adventure films a few weeks ago, it was pretty clear that a Star Trek movie would make it onto the list, but it was very difficult to decide which one I'd choose to represent the franchise. My ranking of the Star Trek movies overall is clear, but which is the best as a sci-fi movie? Arguments could be made for several: Star Trek VI: The Voyage Home has the most fun with the genre's entertaining tropes, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country has some of the most fascinating and creative worldbuilding, Star Trek (2009) writes concepts like time travel and parallel universes in a clever manner, et cetera.

But I went with First Contact, first in the trilogy of direct sequel films to the Next Generation TV series. The very premise of the Star Trek franchise, ever since the original series from the 60's, has been one of science fiction's most powerful ideas: what if humanity were to achieve a semi-utopian future, not through spending millions of dollars and all of our fossil fuels on expensive space programs amidst all our warmongering military spending, but rather through first getting our shit together as a species by realizing how much we have in common and how pointless our patterns of hatred are (all while stopping our greedy destruction of the environment), and then figure out a way to reach the stars in a sustainable manner?

The premise may seem naive to many, but in Star Trek's defense, the utopia envisioned by Gene Roddenberry is way more mature than any of the more shallow sci-fi stories out there, because what's truly naive is thinking that humanity at its current state would explore enough to find other planets and life forms out there, without it leading to us enslaving and oppressing the hell out of everything we find (or dying in the attempt), as well as destroying the beautiful nature of every planet we find just like we've done with our own. So, if we want to explore the stars and all that, it'll have to be Roddenberry's way in order for it to work, and we have a lot of work to do to get there.

Anyhow, back to my original point. I chose Star Trek: First Contact because it takes us back in time (well, back from the point of view of when most of Star Trek is set, but still forward from our current present-day situation) to a critical moment in Star Trek lore, concerning how this utopian future came to be. Humanity's first contact with aliens is a common topic in science fiction, and rarely has it been handled in a manner as beautiful and inspiring as it is here. Sci-fi can be a powerful genre, and what this film has to say about humankind's potential is pretty much as powerful as it gets.

11. Back to the Future (1985)

After my bordering-on-elitist rants about films like Arrival proving that sci-fi can be as slow and somber as any Oscar-winning period drama, I want to make one thing clear: sci-fi doesn't always need to be that. Sometimes, sci-fi can be fun, and when done right, it can make for some of the biggest amounts of fun found in any corner of the cinematic world. A prime example of the zany and entertaining dimensions of science fiction is the Back to the Future trilogy, especially the first and best film.

Time travel is definitely one of the coolest and most mind-boggling concepts in science fiction, and while many stories have dealt with it in a manner more complex and mind-boggling than Back to the Future, I don't think any movie in history has had as much fun with it. Back to the Future is funny, heartfelt and entertaining, and while that is thanks to many things (such as Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd having the arguably best on-screen chemistry ever recorded between two actors), it's the utilizing of sci-fi conventions for maximum cool that really seals the deal. I mean, really, out of all the possible ways in which to write a time machine, can anything beat the DeLorean?

10. The Martian (2015)

Based on one of modern sci-fi's best books by Andy Weir, this one leans heavily into the 'science' part of science fiction. I'm not one of those sci-fi geeks who demand realism from everything, as the very point of fiction is that things could happen that could not happen in this real world of ours, and a lot of good sci-fi has come from writers whose science doesn't exactly check out (looking at you, Doctor Who). However, I have always appreciated the sort of fiction where the writer decides to make things as grounded, realistic and explainable as possible, and it takes some genius to apply these principles to the premise of "stranded on Mars".

However, following in the footsteps of the brilliant book it's adapted from, The Martian goes out of its way to back all of its events up with real science - now, I know far too little about physics (not to mention botany) to make this point on my own, but I know that this is what tons of real-life science nerds complimented The Martian on in contrast to most sci-fi works. So, if you're the kind of sci-fi fan who can't suspend your disbelief for the more far-out physics-defying wing of the genre, then this is the film for you.

9. Jurassic Park (1993)

With Jurassic Park, you get quite a bit of what I described above with The Martian, as Spielberg and company definitely did their research on DNA sequencing in order to explain their wild premise. Obviously, the film where dinosaurs are brought back isn't exactly realistic full stop, but it's certainly more credible than one might expect. Additionally, it's just a great film, where the talented cast, magical score and thrilling plot all make the sci-fi element stand out even more.

Also, visual effects have always played a major part in this genre, and hardly any film has aged better in terms of visuals than Jurassic Park. For a film from 1993, it's staggering how well the imagery still holds up.

8. Inception (2010)

A good premise alone is enough for a decent sci-fi film - but in order to make a great sci-fi film, you need to go several steps beyond, and really stretch out your imagination on how to best utilize this premise. I've seen countless sci-fi flicks that had the potential to be masterpieces but ended up being only okay because the writers didn't utilize the cool premise to its full potential: Triangle (2009), Lucy (2014) and District 9 (2009), to name a few.

With Christopher Nolan's Inception, you get a great initial premise (what if we had the technology to enter peoples' dreams?), but it doesn't stop there - what if, in this world, there's a team of people who use the dream technology to steal ideas from peoples' subconscious? And what if they're now asked to, for the first time, insert an idea into someone's subconscious? What if this takes place in dreams within dreams within dreams, with time moving at different speeds on the different levels? And what if there's this concept called limbo that you can fall into and then that's a whole thing? And what if we utilize the loose relationship that our dreamscapes have to the laws of physics in order to create some mind-bending action sequences? The list goes on...

7. Metropolis (1927)

An absolute pioneer of the genre, and a prime example of the beauty of early German cinema (man, those guys would've out-Hollywooded Hollywood if it hadn't been for Hitler's eradication of the creative arts industry - as if there weren't enough reasons to despise Hitler already, that's certainly one more). Directed by the visionary Fritz Lang, this two-and-a-half-hour epic tackles class, industrialism and romance in the framework of a wildly creative and revolutionary sci-fi tale, one whose messages are every bit as relevant today as they were when Metropolis was released nearly a century ago.

6. Interstellar (2014)

Contrasted to The Martian, this Chris Nolan masterpiece is one that the "all of the science must check out" wing of sci-fi fans are very critical of - and I can see why. It's not their cup of tea, but oh man, it sure is mine - for a film like this, I'm very willing to go into the mode of slightly suspending my disbelief in order to enjoy a great story, one that couldn't have been told if every storyteller restricted themselves to pure realism (and really, how f**king stupid would that be?).

With awe-inspiring visuals, a dramatically adventurous story, neat technology and a Hans Zimmer score that isn't just musically great but also feels like the very embodiment of the sci-fi genre in musical form, Interstellar is fully immersed in the genre's conventions at their most beautiful even before the mind-bending final act rolls around. All in all, it's a modern classic, worth watching and re-watching.

5. Dune: Part Two (2024)

I know, it's a tad bold to put a movie from this year at #5 on an all-time list - but really, does anyone who loves sci-fi and has seen Dune: Part Two have a quarrel with this placement?

The genre has always evolved, with the constant advancement of visual effects in cinema allowing for more and more that you can do, and as of now, Dune: Part Two is the epitome of how far we've come. Denis Villeneuve's first Dune (2021) was already a massive landmark, being the first successful adaptation of what is often considered the Lord of the Rings of the sci-fi genre, after decades of people saying that Frank Herbert's book 'could not be adapted to the big screen'.

The sequel takes things even further, and mind you, it's definitely not just about the visuals - the unique sci-fi concepts from the book translate beautifully into the dialogue, themes and story of the film. But yeah, the visuals play a massive part - not just the CGI (something that many modern sci-fi flicks over-rely on), but rather how CGI is utilized to make the immaculate set design and expert cinematography look even greater, truly perfecting the aesthetic of what the world in the gem of sci-fi literature was always supposed to look like.

4. The Matrix (1999)

In a genre full of wild and creative storytelling premises, this masterpiece by the Wachowski sisters looms large even in the company of giants. The sheer amount of imagination that went into this film is something that most creative storytellers can only dream of, so it's no wonder that The Matrix became such a modern classic of the genre, inspiring countless copycats riding off its coattails.

The crazy thing about the central premise in The Matrix is how it could all be real and we would have no way of knowing: what if the machines have already taken over, and have enslaved humanity into working for them, but we have no idea because they've programmed us into a simulation where we think we're living our lives dictated by our own free will? The idea is frightening, thought-provoking, and in this film, utilized for some philosophical dialogue, moments of Keanu Reeves saying "woah", and ultimately, some of sci-fi's greatest action set pieces. It doesn't get much better than this.

3. Tenet (2020)

Sure, in a ranking of Chris Nolan's filmography as overall pieces of cinema, Tenet would be slightly behind Inception and Interstellar (as well as some non-sci-fi films like Oppenheimer and Memento). But purely as a sci-fi filmmaker, I think Nolan made his magnum opus with Tenet.

The idea of time travel has always been fascinating, but because it is so fascinating to storytellers, it has been very chewed up and spit out in countless different forms, with greats from H.G. Wells and Stephen King to Gene Roddenberry and Steven Moffat all having put their own twists on it. In the Lord's year 2020, it would have taken a next-level creative genius to come up with a fresh and new way of writing time travel, as opposed to repeating the same old narrative tropes - and being an absolute madman of clever storytelling, the bastard did it.

In Tenet, we get an entirely new approach to time travel: what if we came up with the technology to travel through time, not via jumping from point A to point B, but by reversing the course of time, so that time resumes to continue at the same pace for you, but in a different direction than it does for others? This would be an easy premise to screw up, as it begs hundreds of questions of its implications and how it could possibly be written without major plot holes or continuity errors, but Nolan had it all figured out, making for cohesive in-universe rules that the film stays loyal to, with every possible factor taken into account. The end result is crazy, hard to follow, and absolutely magnificent.

2. Star Wars (1977)

And then for something very different from the type of sci-fi described above. The original Star Wars film is in many ways a simple movie, one that doesn't bother too much with the implications of its in-universe rules and other canonical factors, but simply uses the creative shit that George Lucas' mind came up with in order to tell a cool adventure story. This works: the Star Wars series has been popular enough to spawn the rest of the trilogy, a prequel trilogy, a legacy sequel trilogy, two spin-off films, several spin-off TV shows (and let's not forget the Holiday special), with myriads of theories, fan art, semi-canon literature and information-filled websites, all of which exists simply because the world created for this film was so cool and interesting that people have kept wanting to explore it more and more. That's quite the legacy.

While much of the franchise's expansion has worked in fleshing out this fictional universe and taking it in interesting directions with neat worldbuilding and story additions, nothing beats the original in terms of fresh, new and fascinating ideas. It's so amazing that an individual human mind came up with the planet of Tatooine with its binary suns, the Death Star with its planet-destroying capabilities, the Wookie species, the tactics and secret bases of the Rebel Alliance, the mythical Force, and the design for characters like Darth Vader and C-3PO, all for an individual film in a time when people didn't take science fiction seriously.

Watching this film at a young age changed my entire relationship to movies, instantly becoming one of my all-time favorites and essentially making me fall in love with science fiction, all because everything in this movie is so cool and intriguing. In a genre filled with writers who have come up with their own fictional planets and alien races and spaceship types, I can't really explain why the ones created by George Lucas are so good that they've caused more fascinated obsession in me and millions of other geeks than any other - they just hit different, for whatever reason.

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

SPOILER ALERT: No exact plot turns are given away, but I must warn you that if you haven't seen the film and want to watch it, it should be watched while knowing as little about it as possible, so reading the following text is not advised.

Yeah, this is the gold standard right here. 2001 may not be for everyone, but I think most sci-fi fans will agree that in the context of the genre, Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece went further, tested the limits of creativity more, broke more narrative storytelling rules and experimented more boldly than any other. I recently watched the film for the fourth time, and I can still remember the exact feeling of watching it for the first time as a teenager: delightfully not knowing anything about the plot beforehand, the opening act had me bewildered (it's just monkeys? For how long? What are the monkeys about? What does this all mean?), and for the entire two-and-a-half-hour runtime, that feeling didn't stop.

Many viewers have issues with the slow pace, but for a viewer like me, who likes to explore and be bewildered by the wonders of the world, it didn't feel one bit boring, as the steady feeling of "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT IN THIS THOROUGHLY UNPREDICTABLE RABBIT HOLE, JESUS CHRIST, I UNDERSTAND NOTHING THAT'S GOING ON BUT I DON'T EVER WANT IT TO END" was just so dominant. The final act especially always gets to me, as I love the idea that if you were to travel far enough in space, it wouldn't just be cool new planets and stars et cetera, but rather the entire constructs of how time and space and reality work would alter, making us humans learn that our way of viewing and understanding reality is surprisingly narrow.

However you interpret the mind-bending ending (and the narratively outrageous and gloriously, unapologetically interpretational "plot"), and there are many great interpretations out there, there's no getting away from the fact that it all feels larger than life, and thus like sci-fi at its purest.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for a big one - Halloween falling on a Thursday in the middle of my genre project felt too good to be true, and since I've already done "Top 10 horror movies of all time" some years ago, next week's list will expand upon that, with a ranking of my top 50 horror movies of all time.

Top 10 Sports Movies of All Time

Greetings, reader!

My dive into the best films of various genres continues, with this week's focus being on the greatest sports films of all time. As per usual, the films are ranked based on a convoluted balance between the film's overall cinematic greatness, how much of a role the sports element plays in the end product and how interesting the sport element is, in order to make it a ranking of how great these are as sports movies. I hope you enjoy!

Here are my honorable mentions: Invictus (2009), Miracle (2004), Rocky II (1979), Slap Shot (1977), The Beautiful Game (2024).

10. Raging Bull (1980)

With its thematic exploration of family dynamics, Italian-American culture and rage (and how these three can intertwine), as well as a leading performance that many have called the best in Robert De Niro's prolific career, Raging Bull is certainly more than just a boxing movie.

That being said, the sport element cannot be understated: before this film, films about this sport had relied on shooting the boxing sequences from outside the ring, but Martin Scorsese, ever the revolutionary filmmaker, had the genius idea to take the cameras into the ring for a more intimate visual. This makes for boxing scenes that are thrilling to follow, even for someone who cares as little about the sport as I do.

9. Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

Skillfully directed by Gurinder Chadha, this flick cross-references soccer (football for my European readers), feminism and religion in a culturally fascinating combination of themes. The end result is a memorable film, with plenty of football imagery and training sequences to enjoy, even though it's very debatable whether the sport is the story's #1 focus or not.

8. Jerry Maguire (1996)

This thoroughly lovable 90's flick takes a different approach to the world of sports than most on today's list, zeroing in on the world of sports agents as its focal point. Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Renée Zellweger all provide dynamite performances as the central sports agent, the controversial NFL rookie who becomes his most important client, and the love interest who ties into the rest of the story in a heartfelt manner.

Having coined phrases like "Show me the money!" and "You had me at hello", Jerry Maguire is a modern classic in its own right, and the look it takes at a side of the sports world we don't often see on TV is illuminating.

7. Challengers (2024)

It's always a treat when a film from the current year makes it all the way to an all-time top 10 - you don't see much of that, as many fellow list-making movie buffs are affected by nostalgia bias and tend to immediately disregard anything 'too new'. Granted, films like Challengers haven't yet gotten the chance to show how well they stand the test of time and whether they will be forgotten or considered classics 20 years from now, but just as an individual person who has seen the old classics and new films like this one, I would definitely put Challengers up there among the greats of sports cinema.

While it is about more than just tennis (and let's be real, none of these films are just about the sport, as there are always elements of humanity involved in the story of a great sports film), the sport certainly plays a huge part. The actual tennis sequences are riveting to watch, with Luca Guadagnino's unconventional directing choices and Sayombhu Mukdeeprom's cinematography really capturing the fast-paced intensity of the sport with some beautiful shots. Elements like coaching, the pressure of going pro, the financial side of the sport and the psychological toll of struggling to keep on one's level are also explored, making for a well-rounded tennis flick that is also a great character drama.

6. Rocky (1976)

It speaks to the power of cinema that three of the films in my all-time favorite sports films are about boxing, even though it is without a doubt one of the least interesting sports to follow to my subjective taste. I've never given a shit about boxing, but it cannot be denied that the sport has made for some dynamite movies. Rocky is chief among them, and its acclaim is certainly deserved - a rags-to-riches narrative, a great love story and some fantastic acting are all intertwined into the tale of a down-on-his-luck boxer.

The film spends much of its runtime building up to the big fight at the end, with this buildup including words of wisdom from Rocky's (Sylvester Stallone) coach Mickey (Burgess Meredith) and a beyond-iconic training montage to the backdrop of an amazing soundtrack. When the climactic fight finally occurs, it is worth the wait, even if the film is in many ways more about the journey than the destination.

5. Moneyball (2011)

In Finland, we play a different sort of baseball with different rules, and I used to hate playing it at school because I was so bad at it. I know even less about American baseball and the world of the MLB, and I am even more out of my depth on the subject of the mathematics of computer algorithms. So, on paper, a film about how a Major League Baseball coach revolutionized the sport by utilizing a groundbreaking computer-generated analysis wouldn't seem to be destined the film for me on paper. But, any idea can be made accessible and humane by the right writer, and very few can write movies as well as Aaron Sorkin.

Moneyball can't be too dumbed-down, as baseball fans apparently love it as well, but it sure as hell succeeds in telling the story with such dialogue that the most out-of-his-depth viewer can stay on track while feeling smart at understanding the fast-paced dialogue and cool sport sequences. It's also one of the best-acted sport flicks out there - Brad Pitt has a ball in the lead role, Jonah Hill knocks it out of the park, and Robin Wright's performance is a total home run.

4. The Karate Kid (1984)

Oh yes! This fist-pumping classic gives an interesting account of an interesting sport, while telling a properly decent human story via the lens of a preparing for, and participating in, a karate competition. Wherever you land on the "was Daniel (Ralph Macchio) really the hero or was he actually the villain" / "was Johnny (William Zabka) really the villain or was he actually the hero" discourse, I think we can all agree that the true star of the show is Mr. Miyagi, played by Pat Morita in an Oscar-nominated performance. His gripping story makes for a fascinating characer study, and the ways in which he coaches the titular kid in the ways of karate really are the essence of the film.

3. Creed (2015)

Yes, I am of the opinion that Creed, the legacy sequel (or reboot? It's a gray area) to the Rocky franchise, is even better than the original. This is due to many reasons, all of which tie into greatness as a sports movie in particular, and not just as cinema in general.

First of all, Ryan Coogler does an even better job directing than John G. Avildsen did with the original Rocky, and therefore the boxing scenes are just so good - once again, it is a sport I do not care about, but with Coogler's directing, it's intense and riveting action. The character dynamics are also the absolute best in the franchise - the decision to focus on Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of the antagonist from the original film, while an aging Rocky Balboa (Stallone) takes the role of reluctant yet ultimately inspiring coach, was quite genius. Michael B. Jordan proves to be the Michael Jordan of acting with his sledgehammer performance, and Stallone's acting is the best he's ever done, really nailing the gritty yet sentimental vibe the film called for.

2. Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)

I know, I'm a bit biased here, as football (soccer, to my American readers) is my all-time favorite sport by quite a margin. So naturally, it's quite impossible to rank and compare sports movies without giving the football films some advantage points just for the fact that the subject matter is inherently more interesting to me.

That is the biggest advantage of the first Goal! movie - it's the ultimate football film, for all intents and purposes. But it's got a lot more going on for it as well, succeeding as a sports movie in general and not just a fun watch for soccer enthusiasts. It's a beautiful rags-to-riches story, sure to hit you right in the feels both with the human elements and the football fairytale inherent to the plot.

1. 42 (2013)

This is the shit. Based on the true story of Jackie Robinson, the first Black man to play in the MLB, 42 is a tale of discrimination, fighting the odds, and societal growth and progress in the framework of American sports. It feels like such an appropriate #1 for this list, as it highlights the biggest problems of the sports world (institutions that have been designed to be difficult to change, therefore often hindering progress), as well as its beauty (witnessing the story of such a trailblazer, getting to live out his dream and do what no one had done before him, and the impact this had on American society and the civil rights movement).

The late great Chadwick Boseman is amazing in the lead role, as are T.R. Knight and Harrison Ford in their supporting performances. The obstacles Jackie Robinson faced, the insane amount of courage and guts his career took, and the uplifting way in which he made the world a better place make for a legendary sports tale worth telling, and this film tells it well.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I continue my movies-by-genre project with the top 10 science fiction movies of all time.

Top 15 Adventure Movies of All Time

Greetings, reader!

My dive into the best films of various genres continues, with this week's list focusing on my all-time favorite adventure movies. Adventure is one of the harder genres to define exactly, but I'm going largely based on vibes here - these are various movies where there's a sense of some sort of quest, often involving traveling to intriguing locations, possibly with curiosity and discovery among the motives, always with a sense of danger and various obstacles on the way. After over-analyzing the premise to death, here's where I landed: the more a film feels like "aww yiss, that's some good adventure right there", the higher it is bound to be ranked.

Here are my honorable mentions: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), Ice Age (2002), Jurassic Park (1993), Planet of the Apes (1968), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).

15. Interstellar (2014)

The genres of science fiction and adventure often go hand in hand, bringing out the best in one another, which is why you'll see plenty of sci-fi films on today's list. While the actual blog post of my all-time favorite sci-fi movies (coming in the next few weeks!) focuses on many aspects of what makes specifically that genre great, such as utilizing technology and innovation for creative concepts for the story to revolve under, the ones on today's list are ranked based on their adventure element, something that comes across in sci-fi adventure films as creative locations, neat modes of transport, traveling between worlds et cetera.

Christopher Nolan's Interstellar is a prime example of the bridge between the two genres: in a vein similar to why humans originally ventured to the oceans and the lands beyond, finding out that their world is larger than they thought, this film presents interstellar travel as the next logical step in that quest. We follow a team of astronauts looking for the next inhabitable planet for humankind's future, and what they find is quite extraordinary.

14. Life of Pi (2012)

Another genre that is very tied to adventure, so much so that it could even be seen as a subgenre of adventure cinema, is survival movies. Life of Pi is just that, as we follow the magical recounting of a shipwreck survivor's dramatic tale of survival in the midst of the ocean. With Oscar-winning visuals, an adventurous spirit and moments of nature's majesty that truly remind the viewer of how small we are in the face of it all, Life of Pi is quite the journey.

13. The Martian (2015)

After what I said about Interstellar and Life of Pi, here we have an ultimate combination: an adventure flick that is both survival and sci-fi! Based on Andy Weir's amazing novel, The Martian follows an astronaut in the semi-distant future who, due to a chaotic chain of events, ends up stranded on Mars.

What really gets me about The Martian is the realism: sure, there are many ways to do the adventure genre and some of fiction's best adventure have come from unrealistic imagination-benders, but there is definitely something to be said for those instances where the adventure feels like it could, despite the magical feel of creative fiction, really happen. This isn't the first thing to come to mind from 'stranded on Mars', mind you, but being based on Weir's genius book, the film's plot backs everything up with actual science, and no matter how far-fetched the plot ends up being, it does get a massive extra-kick from the feeling that if the stars were aligned just right, it could all be real some day.

12. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

It's a parody of the genre's tropes for sure, but in a manner more celebratory than disrespectful. Poking around at every single trope and cliché of the 'group of heroes on a heroic mission' premise, Monty Python and the Holy Grail succeeds in being a fun and compelling adventure flick in its own right, all while making fun of the genre's conventions. It won't sweep you away with dramatic turns and rushes of cinema magic like of some of these films, but it is arguably the best fusion of adventure and comedy out there, and that deserves recognition.

11. Star Trek (2009)

The Star Trek franchise is interesting to cross-reference with today's genre: the original TV shows and following movies never were the most stereotypical members of the adventure genre, with the slow pace and dialogue-heavy style not feeling very thrilling for a vast majority of the time. Yet there's something about the franchise's premise that hits in the core of the genre: after all, the words "To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before" do sound pretty damn adventurous to me. It has always been an adventure franchise, but just different from the genre's mainstream norms.

Out of the 13 Star Trek films, many could be argued to be the most inherent of the bunch for the adventure genre: Star Trek: The Motion Picture focuses the most on exploring the unknown, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock has a plot full of new exciting locations and the characters being in survival mode, et cetera. But I've chosen the first of J.J. Abrams' reboot flicks to represent the franchise here, because of how well it combines the thrilling faster pace often associated with the genre with the Trek franchise's own signature tropes and atmosphere. It feels more exciting and fresh than preceding films, but still very Star Trek at its core, making for a neat and very worthwhile balance.

10. Spirited Away (2001)

Animation is another genre that can really help a proper adventure story come into its own when the genres clash and combine in a beautiful manner. While Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away is much more than just an animated adventure film, with its hard-hitting themes of family, change, fears and coming of age, it does also manage to be one of the many legendary cinematic adventures done by Studio Ghibli in the process. The journey that protagonist Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi) is whisked away on is filled to the brim with vibrant and majestic locations, brough to life by Ghibli's beloved animation style.

9. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Once again, we have a film on today's list that isn't adventure in the most obvious and typical way. The pace of 2001 is, and I mean this in the best way possible, excruciatingly slow, something that most adventure flicks try to avoid. However, the deep and pondering style is right for this film, and the reason for its high placement on today's list lies in what takes place within that slow and convoluted plot: an odyssey, true to the title, and one of the most peculiar and creatively told cinematic journeys ever taken.

It's an adventure on a massive scale, with the interpretational plot asking questions of what it is that drives humankind to its inherent sense of exploration of the unknown. The final sequence especially takes the main character and the viewers through unforeseen depths into somewhere completely new, and the way this is done is endlessly fascinating.

8. Stand By Me (1986)

Even an adventure on a smaller scale (especially contrasted to the one described above) can deal with some big and heavy themes. Based on a brilliant short story by Stephen King, Stand By Me follows a group of four boys, who embark on a journey via the railroad tracks to find what is speculated to be a dead body. On their way, they bond as humans do, encounter all sorts of dangers and interesting situations, and eventually come back a bit wiser. Isn't that what the genre is all about at its core?

7. Dune (2021)

The adventure genre is far from being the primary focus in Frank Herbert's iconic science fiction book Dune - but the man was so creative and told his story in such a way, that in the midst of all the political machinations, philosophical themes of religion and ecology, mind-driven storylines of plots within plots within plots and the general goal of being an antithesis to the traditional hero narrative, the book (almost accidentally) manages to have some of literature's coolest adventure elements in it as well. And this translates beautifully into Denis Villeneuve's film adaptation.

While Dune: Part Two (2024) is an even better film overall, really zeroing in on the deep themes and overall intensity, the first film is where the adventure is at. The planet Arrakis is a unique and vibrant creation, and when two major characters are thrust into the midst of its vast and dangerous deserts a little over halfway through the film, embarking on a quest of survival while encountering the planet's majestic sand worms and the mythical Fremen tribes, the adventure element burns hot and makes the masterful film all the better.

6. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

And here we have a classic fusion of the western and adventure genres! As if often the case in classic westerns, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre has a plot deep in the veins of adventure, with the plot following two down-on-their-luck heroes embarking on a quest into dangerous territory, in search of a fabled treasure. This rag-tag duo encounters every possible obstacle on their way, making for a thrilling treasure hunt that had quite a bit of influence on the genre as a whole.

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Ah, this one is just so good! It's a bit of a hot take to prefer the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie to the first, but I've always held that steadfast opinion, for reasons very tied to the adventure genre and what I love about it. The Pirates movies were never amazing cinema in my opinion, but what I like best about them is how well they work as neat and entertaining adventure flicks with various creatively built action/adventure set pieces and hijinks.

And purely in that, the second film outdoes the first - the very best adventurous shenanigangs that the franchise has to offer, like the sequence of Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) running to escape from his captors on the island or the moving-wheel sword fight, come from Dead Man's Chest. One of the best films in terms of entertaining and fun adventure elements.

4. Finding Nemo (2003)

For many movie genres, there's that one film that really lit up your love for said genre at a young age. For me, it was Star Wars with science fiction and the Harry Potter movies with fantasy - and Finding Nemo, before all of that, for adventure.

Seriously, it's the blueprint for the genre right here. We're introduced to a very small and limited setting in a vast world, then it's all exciting when the characters must leave the safety and comfort of those parameters, and embark on a quest into the unknown. The oceans of our world are definitely one of the most curious, mysterious and exploration-worthy settings out there, and it's this very movie that kindled my interest and curiosity about what lies within our deep waters as a kid. Still, when re-watching it at an adult age, there's no other film that makes the ocean feel quite as epic as the sense of wonder of what lies beyond the reef in Finding Nemo.

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Adapted from arguably the greatest adventure tale in literature, the Lord of the Rings trilogy is the shit. While The Return of the King is my overall favorite piece of cinema in the trilogy, with its high-stakes fantasy epic grandeur, it's the first instalment that succeeds best out of the three as a representative of the adventure genre (the same goes for the books).

No one had an imagination for adventurous fictional worldbuilding quite like J.R.R. Tolkien, and it is an absolute treat to see the world of Middle-Earth come to life here. The extended edition is particularly recommended for the full experience regarding today's genre, as the additional scenes really zero in on the sheer scope of the journey Frodo (Elijah Wood) and his fellow heroes embark on, and getting to bathe in that atmosphere makes all of the intriguing encounters and dangerous perils feel even more thrilling and earned.

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

The first Indiana Jones flick made it onto last week's list of my all-time favorite action films, and I promised there that it would be even higher on a list of the greatest adventure films! After all this praise for fictional worlds like Middle-Earth, created for an ultimate sense of adventure, it is really worth thinking how it's arguably even more impressive for a filmmaker to create as much intrigue and hype for an adventure story set in this mundane real world of ours.

Okay, our world does have some pretty damn awesome places in it, and no fictional-but-real-world-set adventure flick manages to take quite as full of an advantage of that as Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Indiana Jones' (Harrison Ford) debut journey takes him from location to location, with the delightful map-interlude sequences hammering in the feel of adventure, which is brought to an absolute maximum by John Williams' genre-defining score. Hell yes.

1. Star Wars (1977)

I hope that gatekeepers of the pure adventure genre aren't offended by a science fiction film taking the #1 spot - I think it's a beautiful testament to how great a proper fusion of genres can be. As many who know me or have read my blog might remember, I have the somewhat unpopular opinion that the greatest movie in the Star Wars franchise is not Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), which most fans have as their #1, as I've liked the original one even more for as long as I can remember. And the biggest individual reason for this is that, in addition to being great sci-fi and an awesome start to one of cinema's most celebrated franchises, the original Star Wars is 100% the perfect adventure film.

That's what lands Star Wars in my top 10 favorite movies of all time, more than any other reason. For as long as there have been movies, there have been adventure movies, and my view is that the genre was built upon and improved for decades and decades - until this masterpiece perfected it. If there is a way to make adventure in cinema even more enthralling than this, then I cannot for the life of me imagine what that would look like, and would like to see someone try.

The pace, the premise, the way the unlikely group of heroes gets together, the obstacles they face, the twists and turns, the creative worldbuilding - it's all captivating to the maximum. As much as I like the expansion of the Star Wars franchise and the new and deeper direction it has taken with various sequels, prequels and spin-offs, nothing will ever beat how simply yet masterfully the very first one works as the crown jewel of the adventure genre.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as my genre project continues - with a list of the greatest sports movies of all time.

Top 15 Action Flicks of All Time

Greetings, reader!

Well, it's about time that I listed the all-time best movies from cinema's best-known genres. First up in this multi-week series is action. Ranking the best movies of a certain genre is a challenge, as you have to balance overall cinematic value with within-the-genre value. For example, I could've made this list 100% based on how good the actual action in the film is, but that would feel wrong - 2022's The Gray Man has better-directed action than many Hollywood action classics, but it falls short as movie otherwise, so it's hard to consider it one of the greats. On the other end of the spectrum, I could just rank these purely as movies, but that also has its problem - action is arguably one of the many genres of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which is one of the best movies ever made, but it would feel wrong to rank that at #1 (as well-directed as its action sequences are, that isn't what the movie is inherently about).

So, I went for a middle-of-the-road balance, with overall cinematic value and the action element both playing a part in how the films are ranked, but emphasizing the action enough to make the final product look like a proper ranking of how good these films are as action movies. I hope you enjoy!

Here are my honorable mentions: Fast Five (2011), First Blood (1982), Predator (1987), The Bourne Identity (2002), The Terminator (1984).

15. Heat (1995)

Here's how good Michael Mann's Heat is - the action isn't even the best thing about it, and it still makes my all-time top 15 action flicks. Indeed, while the film's strongest element is merely the gravitas of bringing Robert De Niro and Al Pacino together (they hadn't starred together in a film before this), and casting them as the most ultimate cops-and-robbers narrative, one must remember that no matter how much the dialogue-heavy diner sequence is the film's best moment, the various action sequences don't follow far behind it.

Throughout the film, Mann treats us to some suspenseful heist sequences, a classy final showdown, and a shootout sequence so intense that well-made shootout sequences in post-1995 cinema have often been referred to as "reminiscient of that scene from Heat".

14. Casino Royale (2006)

I initially considered a one-movie-per-franchise cap for today's list, as to make the list more diverse, but the James Bond franchise was the biggest argument not to do so, as multiple of its films deserve to be in the top 15 for slightly differing reasons. The 007 franchise is to action cinema what Miles Davis is to jazz music, as in staying relevant for such a long period of time that it helped define multiple eras and cultural shifts within the genre. Hey, the comparison works - the Connery era is Davis' hard bop phase, the Moore era is his cool jazz phase, the Dalton/Brosnan years are his modal jazz phase - and the Craig era is the fusion phase.

Daniel Craig's 007 movies are the franchise's answer to modern action cinema, and one that especially delivers the goods is his debut, Casino Royale. From the classy and intense construction site opening set-piece, it becomes clear that Martin Campbell has a clear and determined vision on what kind of action he's going for, and the rest of the film rides that high with brilliant pacing. The film isn't as action-heavy as some Bond flicks, but it utilizes the genre in just the right way, as most of the action sequences feel like big payoffs after a while of dialogue and build-up.

13. The Fugitive (1993)

Andrew Davis' The Fugitive is one of those films that there are many like it, but this one is simply better than its counterparts. The relatively simple premise of 'man wrongly accused of a crime goes rogue to prove who really did it' finds its full potential in a way that many action thriller pitches can only dream of, with every escape sequence, close call and confrontation just being so good. The pacing is just right, Harrison Ford is a badass, and it all just rolls very smoothly making for one of the more exciting films in modern cinema.

12. Aliens (1986)

Oh, hell yeah. These days, it is almost trendy to make sequels that switch up the genre from the original, but back in the 80's, this was a revolutionary move. I don't know who had the idea to follow up on Ridley Scott's Alien (1979), one of the greatest horror movies of all time and a pure blend of science fiction and horror, with a James Cameron -directed flick that ditches the horror in lieu of blockbuster action, but whoever it was took a huge risk that completely paid off.

Aliens is widely considered one of the best sequels in Hollywood history, and a movie every bit as important for the trajectory of the action genre as its predecessor was for the horror genre. Cameron takes the plot concepts that were used for creepy, eerily built suspense in the first film, and torches them on fire with his action cinema touch, making for an entertaining and badass film that does not leave you cold.

11. Inception (2010)

This one is hard to rank merely as an action flick, as it is first and foremost a masterpiece of science fiction (and a masterclass in clever, suspenseful storytelling). However, the action element of Christopher Nolan's arguably best film cannot be understated - in the very best cases of the sci-fi and action genres working together, you get creative action sequences that differ from everything else due to how they utilize the film's sci-fi premise, and that is what you get with Inception.

A large part of the film takes place within peoples' dreams, and with the heist flick antics required by the plot, this leads to multiple action set pieces where the laws of physics are completely out of whack, making for some truly imaginative and visually striking chase scenes, hand-to-hand combat and other action shenanigans like you've never seen them before. Another Nolan flick where the sci-fi premise is utilized for an unforeseen type of creative action is Tenet, which barely missed today's list but is definitely worth checking out as well.

10. Live and Let Die (1973)

And back to the Bond flicks! Live and Let Die is the debut 007 adventure of the late great Roger Moore, and it is a brilliant testament to the spy action conventions of its time. The fast-paced plot keeps the viewer entertained and excited with ease, the corny feel makes the viewing experience light (while I do appreciate darker and grittier action cinema, I have at least an equal amount of respect for the more fun-oriented wing of the genre), and the action itself is a blast - we get chase sequences on land, in the air and in the water, giving us the full 70's James Bond bingo.

9. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

Quentin Tarantino divides opinion on many fronts, but one thing we can all agree on is his knack for entertaining, carefully choreographed and shockingly graphic action sequences. While even the less action-oriented films of his are likely to have one or two scenes where the director shows off his skill with large-scale action set pieces, there's no getting past that the first Kill Bill movie is the best example.

It's actually one of my least favorite Tarantino films as a whole, but with the action itself being as legendary as it is, I can't help but praise it on a list like this. That final sequence of mayhem is one of the peak achievements in the history of violence in cinema.

8. The Matrix (1999)

So, basically what I said about Inception, but to an even more epic degree. In The Matrix, the Wachowski sisters do a spectacular job utilizing the wild sci-fi premise and their martial arts knowledge for some of the most creative, groundbreaking and memorable action seen in the genre. The vibrant settings, the bent laws of physics, the kung fu and the slo-mo (among other iconic style choices) make for a unique mixture that will forever make this movie stand out of the crowd. Classic, classic stuff.

7. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Action isn't even this one's primary genre - I'll probably do a "Top 15 adventure films of all time" in the near weeks, and I reckon the first Indiana Jones flick will rank even higher on that one. But, even though it's an adventure flick first and foremost, let's be real - sequences like Indy escaping the booby-trapped temple, the desert truck chase and the fight with the mechanic are more than enough to land the film in here as well. The genres of action and adventure often go hand in hand, and Raiders is a prime example, giving us one thrilling set piece after another.

6. Speed (1994)

Here we have a case where the film's cinematic merit alone wouldn't land it on too many all-time lists, but purely as an action movie, it's one of the greats. My exact thoughts are hard to describe, because it's not even a case of the action scenes being particularly well-done (they do the job for sure, but Jan de Bont is no James Cameron), but rather a case of every element of the film serving the requirements of the genre to the utmost degree - Speed is clearly more concerned with being a great action movie than with being a great movie, and therefore is one of the all-time best options to choose if you're specifically in the mood for a good action flick.

The plot is paced with perfection, the premise is sure to keep viewers in suspense, and Dennis Hopper's villain is a great counterpart to Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock as the heroes. Speed is entertaining, badass, and one of the most pure action flicks out there.

5. Seven Samurai (1954)

Action cinema, in some form, has existed since the 1920's (or arguably the 1910's, depending on who you ask and what they think about The Vagabond). It took a long time to improve, however, as earlier audiences were naturally easy to impress so just a shot of a man running at a fairly high speed was bound to be seen as the Mad Max: Fury Road of its time. There are many movies that could be argued to be 'the first truly great action film', but I reckon that if you asked that question from a hundred cinephiles, no one title would come up as much as Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.

The influence this film had on the genre, both within Japanese cinema and internationally, cannot be understated. It is not only its influence that lands it in my top five, however: it is also just a really solid viewing experience, and astonishing in relation to the time of its release. It's probably the first-ever action flick that doesn't feel too dated and boring to modern sensibilities - the plot is exciting and engaging enough to keep the viewer's attention, and while the action scenes obviously aren't working with the same resources you see in today's cinema, Kurosawa was miraculously effective with what he had at his disposal, so much so that the fight sequences still hold up.

4. GoldenEye (1995)

For me, Pierce Brosnan's debut James Bond film is the sweet spot not only for the franchise as a whole, but also for the twenty-five individual 007 flicks as representatives of the action genre. The action itself, envisioned and put to fruition by director Martin Campbell, is less campy than in previous instalments, but still not as bound by realities (such as the laws of physics) as the action would go on to be in the Daniel Craig era.

This makes for chases and fights that are outlandish enough, while still having a fresh feel of excitement and actual danger when contrasted to what came earlier. The plot also serves the genre's conventions well, as does Brosnan's charming yet badass lead performance. This may not be the most influential Bond film for the action genre, but in my subjective opinion, it fulfills and even perfects the franchise's spy-action potential more than any other.

3. Top Gun (1986)

"I feel the need - the need for speed!"

Yeah, this is the stuff. With its banging soundtrack, badass characters and performances, hammy dialogue and cool-as-fuck action sequences, this aviation flick is one for the ages. I have a nostalgic fondness for Top Gun, having watched it for the first few times at such a young age that my dad would skillfully skip a certain sad death scene on the DVD as not to traumatize us. It's among the very first action films I remember seeing and liking, so my relationship to the entire genre is very linked to this movie.

Additionally, I find it impressive how a film about fighter pilots and the U.S. Navy can make even a stone-cold pacifist like myself go "HELL YEAH" and pump my fist. That's the power of cinema right there.

2. Die Hard (1988)

I'm guessing that if you asked a hundred different people to say the first film to come to mind from 'action movie', no individual film would be mentioned as many times as Die Hard. And there's a good reason for that - John McTiernan's late 80's masterpiece is pretty synonymous with the genre. The premise is relatively simple, but everything that a conventional action flick can do is done to maximum effect - the hero (Bruce Willis as John McClane) is a total badass, the villain (Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber) is one of Hollywood's finest, the pacing leaves absolutely no room for improvement, the suspense is off the charts, the action sequences are directed with aplomb, and the final act is pure adrenaline. This right here is the gold standard.

But it's still not at #1, and that's because of...

1. Terminator II: Judgment Day (1991)

Here we have it: the perfect action film. And the best of its kind. While the original Terminator is enough of a stone-cold action classic in its own right, the probably most-agreed-upon case of "sequel better than the original" in cinematic history kicks everything up a notch. James Cameron already had one of the best-ever films in the genre with the first Terminator, and then he somehow managed to make everything in it work even better for the sequel.

Oh, you think the theme song and score to the first film were suspenseful and intense? Well, the arrangement here is an earth-scorching expansion of that. Oh, you think Schwazenegger was awesome as the villain? Well, he's even more badass when revamped as a hero, while Robert Patrick's T-1000 shatters your expectations of villainhood. Oh, you think Linda Hamilton kicked ass as Sarah Connor in the first one? Well, this time, the character has spent years preparing, gives less fucks, and has a son to protect, so it's all up to eleven. As for the action scenes? Great just on their own as showcases of Cameron's directing talent, and absolute perfection when put into the context of the film's high-stakes plot and riveting pace. The crown jewel of the action genre.

Thank you for reading! My rankings of the best films from various genres continues next week with the top 15 adventure films of all time.