The one-hit wonders every country music fan will remember

Whether you’re a country music fan or not, nearly everyone has heard of the icons of the genre: Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Johnny Cash, to name a few. But what about Deana Carter? Or Jamey Johnson?

Sometimes, artists who once appeared to be on the cusp of country music greatness lose that momentum in the highly competitive industry, only to become dreaded one-hit wonders. Take the duo The Wreckers, for example. They released their hit “Leave the Pieces” in 2006, only to unexpectedly break up a year later. Remember the band Sawyer Brown, best known for their 1992 track “Some Girls Do”? Though they went on to release several more albums and singles, none recreated their early ’90s success story.

It’s difficult to define a one-hit wonder, but one clear measure is sales. The aforementioned musicians, and many others like them, released one massive hit that went gold or platinum during their careers but were never able to duplicate that success. These certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America translate to big bucks: Gold means that 500,000 units of a single or album were sold, while platinum singles or albums sold 1 million units. In the era of music streaming, 150 streams is considered equal to one unit sale.

While it’s easy to think that an artist has “made it” once their music goes gold or platinum, it doesn’t guarantee future career stability. In an effort to reflect on some of the most memorable country artists you may have forgotten, Stacker used information from the Recording Industry Association of America to compile a list of 20 one-hit wonders from country music history.

A word to the wise: You might raise your eyebrows at some of the artists on this list since they had other well-known tracks. But popularity—even for songs like John Anderson’s “Seminole Wind” or the Charlie Daniels Band’s “Simple Man”—doesn’t always ensure gold or platinum status.

Debby Boone

The ballad “You Light Up My Life” originally appeared on the soundtrack for a 1977 summer romance movie of the same name, where it was performed by studio singer Kasey Cisyk. But it was country crooner Debby Boone’s subsequent cover that made the track go platinum. The song spent 10 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart (the first to ever do so) and won a Golden Globe and an Oscar. “You Light Up My Life” also propelled Boone to her first Grammy Award win.

But after the hubbub surrounding the track died down, Boone couldn’t replicate the same success with her later releases. Though her future work did feature on Billboard’s country music charts, Boone eventually moved on to perform Christian music and has won two more Grammys since.

Charlie Daniels Band

Though it may be hard to believe, the Charlie Daniels Band only scored one RIAA-certified single over the course of their career: “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Perhaps one of the most famous country songs of all time, the platinum-selling track blends influences from classic fiddle tunes and the bluegrass storytelling tradition to create an unforgettable earworm about a Faustian bargain in the Deep South. The band did produce several other hits, including “Simple Man” and “In America.” But they didn’t see the same sales as “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Daniels, the band’s lead singer and fiddle player, died in 2020 at age 83.

Heartland

Any early-aughts country fans are likely familiar with Heartland’s platinum-certified debut single “I Loved Her First.” The slow, sentimental 2006 track about fatherly love shot up to #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart shortly after its release. The original members of Heartland went their separate ways in 2012 after a string of low-performing songs. But the group got back together with a new lineup in 2023.

Jeannie C. Riley

Few could forget Jeannie C. Riley’s spunky 1968 ballad “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” which saw one of the most meteoric rises in Billboard chart history and attained gold status the same year of its release. The song follows a miniskirt-wearing single mother who confronts the local parent-teacher association after receiving complaints about her parenting and personal life.

“Harper Valley P.T.A.” landed Riley a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and led to a movie and a 1981 TV show of the same name, both starring Barbara Eden. Though Riley recorded a handful of songs that also charted on the Billboard Hot 100 over the course of her career, like “Oh, Singer” and “The Girl Most Likely,” none saw the same success as “Harper Valley P.T.A.”

Jamey Johnson

Nostalgia is a perennially popular motif in country music, and Jamey Johnson took the wistful theme to the bank with his gold-certified hit “In Color.” In this mostly acoustic track, a boy and his grandfather look through the family’s black-and-white photographs while reminiscing. After debuting in 2008, “In Color” reached #9 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in early 2009. It won Song of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards and Country Music Association Awards.

Johnson has since released several albums and singles and was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2022. In 2017, he revealed that a concussion and a busy touring schedule took their toll on his songwriting abilities, though not enough to prevent him from creating his most recent album, 2024’s “Midnight Gasoline.” Johnson and his wife also launched a nonprofit organization to help communities and provide disaster relief in August 2025.

The Wreckers

The early 2000s duo The Wreckers, which consisted of Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp, was a short-lived success story. In 2006, the two released their one and only album together: “Stand Still, Look Pretty.” Its lead single, “Leave the Pieces,” garnered a gold certification and shot to the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, making The Wreckers the first duo of women to have a #1 hit with their debut single in more than 50 years. Unfortunately for their newly acquired fanbase, The Wreckers disbanded in 2007, forestalling any hopes for future hits.

Julie Roberts

Some musicians work for decades without releasing a single gold or platinum hit. However, like The Wreckers, singer Julie Roberts knocked it out of the park with her very first single. Her ballad “Break Down Here” was released in 2004 and soared up Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, landing in the top 20. The song has since gained a gold certification from the RIAA. Though Roberts has continued to release music over the years despite a number of health struggles, “Break Down Here” remains her biggest hit.

James Otto

James Otto’s name might not be instantly recognizable, but his deep, bass croon probably is. His gold-certified 2007 single “Just Got Started Lovin’ You” showcases that voice at full range, as a narrator sings to his partner that she should spend more time with him because he “just got started” loving her. The song went to #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in 2008 and landed on Billboard’s list of the greatest country songs ever. Though Otto’s later releases have received less attention, he’s still releasing new songs as recently as 2024, when he dropped a cover of Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

Deana Carter

When Deana Carter’s “Strawberry Wine” first played on radio stations in 1996, countless teens across the U.S. found a new favorite song. The lyrics and gentle guitar backing evoke all the emotions of a first love, brought back by the taste of the title beverage. “Strawberry Wine” was the lead single off Carter’s debut album, “Did I Shave My Legs for This?” and the song has continued to win over listeners, landing a platinum certification in 2021. Carter founded her own record label and continues to release music and tour as of 2026.

Vicki Lawrence

Many people know “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” from Reba McEntire’s 1991 cover. But it was actually actor and comedian Vicki Lawrence who sang the original, which tells of a murder in the backwoods of Georgia and the ensuing “make-believe trial.” Upon its 1973 release, Lawrence’s version of the song rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the singer her one and only gold-certified single.

John Anderson

John Anderson has a plethora of popular tracks to his name, including “Seminole Wind” and “Straight Tequila Night.” But his 1983 song “Swingin'” is his only track to achieve gold status. The song tells the story of an innocent first love between a young couple who spend their time simply swinging on the front porch. “Swingin'” won Anderson a Single of the Year award from the Country Music Association and it peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Of course, Anderson has stayed busy in the decades since—recently, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024 and released a new song, “Downstream,” with Bonnie “Prince” Billy (aka Will Oldham) in early 2025.

Alannah Myles

Canadian singer Alannah Myles made her debut with “Black Velvet,” a country-blues track about Elvis Presley. The 1989 single won Myles gold certification and a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. But that success soon dried up—her label, Atlantic Records, also gave the track to singer Robin Lee, a move that may have overshadowed Myles’ version. She parted ways with Atlantic in 1997. As soon as she was legally able to re-cut her debut album, Myles wasted no time in re-recording “Black Velvet” and other songs.

Lynn Anderson

Lynn Anderson won a Grammy Award in 1971 and, later, RIAA gold certification with her cover of “Rose Garden.” The song charted on both the Billboard Hot 100 (where it peaked at #3) and on the Hot Country Songs chart (where it reached #1). Anderson continued to release music and perform until her death in 2015. All told, “Rose Garden” is her greatest legacy. The song is credited with ushering in a new era of pop-country crossover hits, as the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum notes.

John Michael Montgomery

John Michael Montgomery has had 20 singles hit the top 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including “I Can Love You Like That” and “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident).” But those songs haven’t been as celebrated as the gold-certified “I Swear.” Released in 1993 (and since covered by several other bands, including R&B group All-4-One), the track has become a wedding reception standard thanks to its sweet lyrics about the love of a lifetime. After spending more than three decades in the music industry, Montgomery performed “I Swear” live for the last time at his December 2025 final show.

Mac Davis

Lubbock, Texas native Mac Davis wrote a number of hits for Elvis Presley, including “In the Ghetto,” “Memories,” and “Don’t Cry Daddy.” But as an artist himself, Davis scored just one certified gold hit: “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me,” a lighthearted song about a man who isn’t ready to settle down. The track also spent three weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972. After more than four decades of songwriting, singing, and acting, Davis died in 2020 at 78.

Sawyer Brown

Country music group Sawyer Brown only has one platinum hit to their name: “Some Girls Do.” Known for its bouncy melody and cheerful lyrics, the song made it to #1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in 1992 and eventually achieved platinum status in 2023. The group added a new guitarist in 2004 and continues to release music and tour together as of 2026.

Mark Chesnutt

Mark Chesnutt had his biggest hit with “Bubba Shot the Jukebox,” a 1992 track about exactly what the title suggests. (In Bubba’s defense, the jukebox “played a sad song that made him cry.”) The track landed on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and hit gold status in 2022. Despite a series of heart problems, Chesnutt continues to perform across North America in 2026.

Crystal Gayle

Loretta Lynn’s younger sister, Crystal Gayle, released “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” in 1977. Told from the perspective of a woman struggling to watch her ex move on, the melancholic song spent an impressive 26 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Gayle her only Grammy Award thus far. But she didn’t just stick to the country genre. Gayle has since branched out into pop and inspirational music, and she still tours in 2026.

Billy Ray Cyrus

Billy Ray Cyrus has been featured on two RIAA-certified singles: the gold track “Butterfly Fly Away,” his duet with daughter Miley Cyrus, and Lil Nas X’s massive platinum hit “Old Town Road.” But he only has one solo song that’s done the same. Cyrus’ ultra-catchy anthem “Achy Breaky Heart” topped the charts in several countries at the time of its 1992 release, with the music video being credited with bringing line dancing to the mainstream. Whether you love it or consider it one of the worst songs ever (like the late Blender magazine), there’s no denying the decades-long cultural impact of “Achy Breaky Heart.” Cyrus continues to spark conversations today—his disorganized performance at President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration led some fans to express concern for the singer, including his own son, Trace.

Wynonna Judd

The mother-daughter duo The Judds, composed of the late Naomi Judd and her older daughter Wynonna Judd, produced two gold records and one platinum. As a solo artist, Wynonna continues to make headlines and has released several noteworthy solo singles. But none as big as her gold-certified release “No One Else on Earth.” The song tells the story of a woman who has purposely guarded her heart from love, only to fall for the one person who can get past all of her defenses. Released on Judd’s self-titled, 1992 solo debut album, “No One Else on Earth” spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Story editing by Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Meg Shields. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.

50 of the best college movies

As college students returned to campus for the start of the new semester, anyone who graduated years ago may have felt nostalgic for the days of frat parties, all-nighters, and their first taste of freedom. While reliving the so-called “best years of your life” may not be possible, there is an option for those missing the taste of cheap beer and the smell of a fresh three-ring notebook: college movies.

College movies are a cinema staple, delighting those who attended college with nostalgia and those who did not with plenty of drama, comedy, and general mishaps to hold their interest. Films with college as the backdrop often focus on characters learning what it means to be an adult for the first time, and these stories rarely feature a smooth journey.

In recent years, fewer college stories have been told on screen, though the genre hasn’t dried up entirely. Certain parts of Netflix’s January 2026 rom-com “People We Meet on Vacation” were filmed at Louisiana’s Tulane University, a stand-in for Boston College. And college has also become a popular setting for TV shows, like Prime Video’s steamy 2026 romance series “Off Campus.”

But what about the established classics? Stacker gathered IMDb data on 50 of the most beloved college movies and ranked them by user rating as of Oct. 18, 2024. The top 50 are presented here and ranked from worst to best. Ties were broken by critical ratings from Metacritic, with further ties remaining. While college isn’t always the focus of the films on this list, it is at the very least the setting. Also included are details about how the film and its creators have impacted college students and culture.

Several of the films listed here are based on books. Some won or were nominated for Oscars and other awards, and one was deemed “too controversial” to be shown in Italian theaters. Another film is part of one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time, and one much-loved animated movie even managed to make the top 20. More than one sequel impressively earned a place on this ranking when the original film did not.

#50. Smart People (2008)

– Director: Noam Murro
– IMDb user rating: 6.1
– Metascore: 57
– Runtime: 95 minutes

A depressed, estranged Carnegie Mellon literature professor (Dennis Quaid) begins a relationship with one of his former students (Sarah Jessica Parker). When his adopted brother (Thomas Haden Church) shows up on his doorstep, he realizes he needs to make some life changes and reconnect with his children (Elliot Page and Ashton Holmes). Reviews for the film were mixed.

#49. Orange County (2002)

– Director: Jake Kasdan
– IMDb user rating: 6.2
– Metascore: 48
– Runtime: 82 minutes

A smart high school student’s (Colin Hanks) acceptance into Stanford University is jeopardized when his guidance counselor sends the wrong transcript in with his application. The high-achieving student spends the rest of the film trying to prove he truly is a top applicant, with hilarious help from Jack Black. Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, calling it a “happy project” with stars of Hollywood’s next generation.

#48. Dear White People (2014)

– Director: Justin Simien
– IMDb user rating: 6.2
– Metascore: 79
– Runtime: 108 minutes

With an incisive sense of humor, the satirical “Dear White People” cuts to the quick of race issues at a fictional, predominantly white Ivy League school called Winchester University. Multiracial student Samantha White (Tessa Thompson) begins calling out her fellow classmates’ racist microaggressions via the titular controversial radio show, leading to escalating tensions between Black and white students. The comedy won the Special Jury Prize after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival and led to a Netflix series of the same name.

#47. The Rewrite (2014)

– Director: Marc Lawrence
– IMDb user rating: 6.3
– Metascore: 51
– Runtime: 107 minutes

“The Rewrite” focuses on a college professor rather than students, starring Hugh Grant as a former screenwriter who takes a break from Hollywood to teach college. Though the romantic comedy features a star-studded cast that includes J.K. Simmons and Marisa Tomei, reviews for “The Rewrite” remain mixed among both audiences and critics.

#46. Neighbors (2014)

– Director: Nicholas Stoller
– IMDb user rating: 6.3
– Metascore: 68
– Runtime: 97 minutes

A young couple moves in next door to a fraternity house and initially tries to get along with the cool fraternity president, played by Zac Efron. A war erupts, however, when they call the cops on the students during a raucous party. The raunchy comedy has echoes of the hard-partying fraternity scenes made famous by “Animal House.”

#45. St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)

– Director: Joel Schumacher
– IMDb user rating: 6.4
– Metascore: 35
– Runtime: 110 minutes

In this classic 1985 “Brat Pack” coming-of-age film, a group of recent Georgetown University graduates struggles with adulthood. The all-star cast features Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, and Demi Moore. Friendship is a major theme in the film, and the college friends continue to support each other through all their misadventures. The theme song even became a #1 hit on the Billboard charts.

#44. American Pie 2 (2001)

– Director: J.B. Rogers
– IMDb user rating: 6.4
– Metascore: 43
– Runtime: 108 minutes

The second film in the “American Pie” comedy film series, “American Pie 2” finds the friends reuniting at the beach the summer after their first year of college. The now-iconic and hilarious film franchise—which launched the careers of Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan, among others—was a hit among high school and college students. It became one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time, with “American Pie 2” alone grossing $287.5 million worldwide on a $30 million budget, and has had a big influence on the comedy film genre.

#43. Accepted (2006)

– Director: Steve Pink
– IMDb user rating: 6.4
– Metascore: 47
– Runtime: 93 minutes

“Accepted” stars Justin Long as Bartleby Gaines, a high school senior who decides to invent a fake college after being summarily rejected by all the schools he applied to. There’s just one problem—word spreads, and suddenly, more and more people want to attend Gaines’ fictitious South Harmon Institute of Technology.

#42. Kill Your Darlings (2013)

– Director: John Krokidas
– IMDb user rating: 6.4
– Metascore: 65
– Runtime: 104 minutes

“Kill Your Darlings” is a biographical drama about a murder involving legendary beatniks Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs. John Krokidas’ debut film follows the young poets during their college years, when Ginsberg, played by Daniel Radcliffe, is a freshman at Columbia University.

#41. PCU (1994)

– Director: Hart Bochner
– IMDb user rating: 6.5
– Metascore: 42
– Runtime: 79 minutes

A high school senior visits the fictional Port Chester University for the weekend and gets a taste of politically correct campus life while staying at the wildest house on campus. The film is notable for its anti-establishment message and its ensemble cast, including Jeremy Piven (pre-“Entourage”), David Spade, and Jon Favreau.

#40. The Program (1993)

– Director: David S. Ward
– IMDb user rating: 6.5
– Metascore: 51
– Runtime: 112 minutes

This 1993 film, starring Halle Berry and Omar Epps, follows college football players as they try to cope with the pressures of playing at a top university. Some sink into the allure of steroids or hard drugs, while others turn to alcohol to relieve the stress. A controversial scene in which the movie’s hero lies down in the middle of traffic was removed from the film after several teenagers tried it and were either injured or killed.

#39. Higher Learning (1995)

– Director: John Singleton
– IMDb user rating: 6.5
– Metascore: 54
– Runtime: 128 minutes

In this John Singleton-directed ensemble film starring Omar Epps, Ice Cube, Jennifer Connelly, and Laurence Fishburne, a diverse group of freshmen at Columbus University learn about life and cope with sexual assault, racism, and violence on campus. Fishburne won an NAACP Image Award for his work in the film. When “Higher Learning” was released in 1995, violence plagued the cinemas showing the film during its opening week, resulting in two deaths. The conflicts the characters experience on-screen are eerily similar to the real-life issues prevalent on college campuses today.

#38. Road Trip (2000)

– Director: Todd Phillips
– IMDb user rating: 6.5
– Metascore: 55
– Runtime: 93 minutes

A group of college students embarks on a wild road trip from New York to Austin, Texas, to save their friend’s relationship. It opened to mixed reviews but reached #3 at the box office, grossing a grand total of $119.8 million worldwide.

#37. Legally Blonde (2001)

– Director: Robert Luketic
– IMDb user rating: 6.5
– Metascore: 59
– Runtime: 96 minutes

A seemingly stereotypical sorority girl enrolls in Harvard Law School—”What, like, it’s hard?”—to try and win back her ex-boyfriend. The 2001 film was hugely popular, inspired a sequel, and can even be credited for inspiring some women to pursue their law school dreams. Reese Witherspoon said starring in “Legally Blonde” motivated her to create more feminist movies, and the film cemented her status as a bankable star.

#36. The Freshman (1990)

– Director: Andrew Bergman
– IMDb user rating: 6.5
– Metascore: 78
– Runtime: 102 minutes

In “The Freshman,” an NYU film student (Matthew Broderick) accepts a job with a local mobster who resembles a famous cinema godfather. The movie was received well by critics, though “The Godfather” alum Marlon Brando, who parodies himself in the film, apparently deemed it a flop. It was the first role he’d had since the 1980 film “The Formula.”

#35. Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

– Director: Jeff Kanew
– IMDb user rating: 6.6
– Metascore: 44
– Runtime: 90 minutes

A group of geeky college students is thrown out of their dorm by the Alpha Betas after their fraternity house burns down. Forced to live in dumpy quarters, the nerds reach their breaking point and plot revenge. The 1984 comedy inspired three sequels and foreshadowed the modern trend of nerds becoming mainstream in pop culture.

#34. Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

– Director: Mike Newell
– IMDb user rating: 6.6
– Metascore: 45
– Runtime: 117 minutes

“Mona Lisa Smile” features a veritable all-star cast, including Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. At the all-girls Wellesley College in the 1950s, professor Katherine Watson (Roberts) encourages her students to challenge societal norms. Though critics didn’t exactly speak highly of “Mona Lisa Smile,” audiences continue to enjoy the movie today.

#33. EuroTrip (2004)

– Directors: Jeff Schaffer, Alec Berg, David Mandel
– IMDb user rating: 6.6
– Metascore: 45
– Runtime: 92 minutes

After being dumped by his girlfriend, a recent high school graduate goes on an epic trip to Europe with his friends. Matt Damon went to college with the writers of “EuroTrip” and agreed to make a cameo, singing “Scotty Doesn’t Know” in what would become one of the most famous scenes in the movie.

#32. The Rules of Attraction (2002)

– Director: Roger Avary
– IMDb user rating: 6.6
– Metascore: 50
– Runtime: 110 minutes

“The Rules of Attraction” is a black comedy about the incredibly privileged students of the fictional Camden College and their empty lives. Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the film received relatively poor reviews, with some critics noting its failure to adequately adapt the story for the screen.

#31. Like Crazy (2011)

– Director: Drake Doremus
– IMDb user rating: 6.6
– Metascore: 68
– Runtime: 86 minutes

While attending college in Los Angeles, an American (Anton Yelchin) falls in love with a woman from London (Felicity Jones) who violates the terms of her visa, forcing her to return to England. The pair struggles with maintaining a long-distance relationship but keeps returning to each other. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance when it premiered in 2011 and earned praise from critics.

#29. With Honors (1994) (tie)

– Director: Alek Keshishian
– IMDb user rating: 6.7
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 101 minutes

Starring Joe Pesci and Brendan Fraser, “With Honors” reminds audiences of all ages that there’s more to life than book learning. While critics generally panned this tale about an uptight student forming a friendship with a man experiencing homelessness, many audiences enjoyed the movie, particularly Pesci and Fraser’s performances.

#29. Fandango (1985) (tie)

– Director: Kevin Reynolds
– IMDb user rating: 6.7
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 91 minutes

Set in 1971, “Fandango” is about five college friends from the University of Texas—led by a young Kevin Costner in one of his first film roles—who embark on a road trip across the Mexican border before facing their post-grad futures. The film garnered a cult following, and fan groups still hold yearly “Fandango” gatherings to tour shooting locations. The film itself was made by a University of Southern California student named Kevin Reynolds, who, according to reports, originally titled the film “Proof.” Steven Spielberg saw it, liked it, and decided to fund a feature-length version.

#28. Liberal Arts (2012)

– Director: Josh Radnor
– IMDb user rating: 6.7
– Metascore: 55
– Runtime: 97 minutes

A 30-something man falls for a college student when he returns to his alma mater in Ohio for a professor’s retirement party. “Liberal Arts” expresses a nostalgic view of college, notably through the protagonist, who hasn’t been truly happy in his lackluster life since he graduated. This aligns with the popular trope that college is the happiest four years of one’s life.

#27. Back to School (1986)

– Director: Alan Metter
– IMDb user rating: 6.7
– Metascore: 68
– Runtime: 96 minutes

A concerned father (Rodney Dangerfield) enrolls himself in college to encourage his son to attend, but the uneducated, self-made millionaire faces trouble when he learns how to manipulate the system a little too well. The 1986 Dangerfield comedy is consistently remembered as a classic back-to-school film.

#26. Starter for 10 (2006)

– Director: Tom Vaughan
– IMDb user rating: 6.7
– Metascore: 69
– Runtime: 92 minutes

Produced by Tom Hanks, “Starter for 10” is a 2006 British dramedy about a working-class student who tries out for a popular TV show called “University Challenge” during his first year at Bristol University. Based on a book of the same name by David Nicholls, the movie earned good reviews for its charming, authentic depiction of the British university experience.

#25. Mistress America (2015)

– Director: Noah Baumbach
– IMDb user rating: 6.7
– Metascore: 75
– Runtime: 84 minutes

A lonely college freshman living in New York City gets pulled into the exciting antics of her adventurous stepsister. The quirky comedy, originally released in Brazil, explores the millennial generation’s relationship with meaningful work environments and their desire for upward mobility.

#24. 21 (2008)

– Director: Robert Luketic
– IMDb user rating: 6.8
– Metascore: 48
– Runtime: 123 minutes

Based on the bestselling nonfiction book “Bringing Down the House” by Ben Mezrich, “21” follows the story of a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who, in order to earn money to pay for medical school, joins a secretive club of brilliant students being trained by a professor in the art of card-counting. The group runs into trouble when they win big at a Las Vegas casino. Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, Laurence Fishburne, and Kate Bosworth left critics with mixed reviews, but the movie was a box-office success.

#23. Adventureland (2009)

– Director: Greg Mottola
– IMDb user rating: 6.8
– Metascore: 76
– Runtime: 107 minutes

During the summer of 1987, a recent college graduate (Jesse Eisenberg) plans to travel around Europe before attending graduate school but is instead forced to take a job at the local amusement park. Expecting the worst, he is pleasantly surprised when he finds love with a co-worker.

#22. Real Genius (1985)

– Director: Martha Coolidge
– IMDb user rating: 6.9
– Metascore: 71
– Runtime: 108 minutes

Two highly intelligent college roommates team up on a project to develop a high-powered laser. Conflict ensues when they learn the CIA intends to use their technology as a weapon. The goofy comedy received positive critic reviews and was one of the first films to be promoted online.

#21. Carnal Knowledge (1971)

– Director: Mike Nichols
– IMDb user rating: 6.9
– Metascore: 77
– Runtime: 98 minutes

Released in 1971, Mike Nichols’ iconic “Carnal Knowledge” follows the lifelong sexual development of two men who first become friends as college roommates. The film, which stars Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen, Art Garfunkel, Rita Moreno, and Ann-Margret, was deemed “too controversial” for its exploration of chauvinism and male psychology to be shown in Italian theaters. A theater operator in Georgia was even taken to the Supreme Court for screening the movie. Still, it was nominated for a number of awards and is still considered a classic.

#20. Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)

– Director: Richard Linklater
– IMDb user rating: 6.9
– Metascore: 83
– Runtime: 117 minutes

Set in 1980s Texas, a college freshman meets his new baseball teammates and finds a life of disco, parties, and generally unsupervised youth. The film is based on director Richard Linklater’s own college experience as a ballplayer in Texas.

#19. Old School (2003)

– Director: Todd Phillips
– IMDb user rating: 7.0
– Metascore: 54
– Runtime: 88 minutes

An attorney (Luke Wilson) moves into a new house near a college campus and tries to get his life back together after a bad breakup. His two best friends (Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn) join him, and the trio opens a new fraternity in an attempt to relive their glory days. “Old School” gained a massive cult following after its release and helped launched the careers of Simon Helberg (“Big Bang Theory”) and Elisha Cuthbert, among other co-stars.

#18. 22 Jump Street (2014)

– Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
– IMDb user rating: 7.0
– Metascore: 71
– Runtime: 112 minutes

In this sequel to “21 Jump Street,” police officers Schmidt and Jenko go undercover at a local college. The film includes some commentary on the changing views of gender and sexuality on college campuses. Overall, the movie received positive critic reviews and praise for being a successful comedic sequel, which traditionally flop.

#17. The Sure Thing (1985)

– Director: Rob Reiner
– IMDb user rating: 7.0
– Metascore: 76
– Runtime: 95 minutes

College freshman Gib (John Cusack) road trips all the way to California to meet a girl after repeatedly striking out with the women at his own college. On the way, Gib and his passenger, Alison (Daphne Zuniga), fall in love. Rob Reiner directs and Anthony Edwards, Tim Robbins, and Nicollette Sheridan co-star in the film Roger Ebert dubbed “a small miracle.”

#16. Pitch Perfect (2012)

– Director: Jason Moore
– IMDb user rating: 7.1
– Metascore: 66
– Runtime: 112 minutes

College freshman Beca isn’t sure where she fits in on campus until she joins an all-girl a cappella group and becomes immersed in crushing the competition. The female-driven movie was a huge success, grossing $115.4 million worldwide on a $17 million budget. To nobody’s surprise, it also had the bestselling soundtrack of 2013 and a single that rose to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, launching a full-on franchise. “Pitch Perfect” also helped college a cappella groups reach newfound popularity in the mainstream.

#15. Glory Road (2006)

– Director: James Gartner
– IMDb user rating: 7.2
– Metascore: 58
– Runtime: 118 minutes

The new basketball coach at Texas Western College leads the first all-Black starting lineup to the NCAA national championships, an unheard-of achievement in the 1960s. “Glory Road” was loosely based on the true story of the 1966 Texas Western Miners.

#13. The Paper Chase (1973) (tie)

– Director: James Bridges
– IMDb user rating: 7.2
– Metascore: 65
– Runtime: 113 minutes

A first-year Harvard law student struggles to keep up with the demands of the school’s stern contracts professor and makes the situation worse by dating the professor’s daughter. The film is based on the hit novel “The Paper Chase” by John Jay Osborn Jr., inspired by his own time as a Harvard Law student. The film received good reviews and was later made into a TV series.

#13. Monsters University (2013) (tie)

– Director: Dan Scanlon
– IMDb user rating: 7.2
– Metascore: 65
– Runtime: 104 minutes

In this animated hit, Mike Wazowski enrolls in Monsters University to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a Scarer and enters into a rivalry with natural-born Scarer Sulley. The Pixar team painstakingly detailed their animation of a college campus and went on visits to Stanford, Harvard, and the University of California, Berkeley. They even created a fake website for the university.

#12. Love & Basketball (2000)

– Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
– IMDb user rating: 7.2
– Metascore: 70
– Runtime: 124 minutes

“Love & Basketball” follows two childhood friends, Monica and Quincy, who both endeavor to play professional basketball. The two begin to fall in love as they grow older, but their diverging paths threaten their relationship. Written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, the film had a lasting impact on sports and romantic comedy genres as well as minority representation on screen.

#11. Wonder Boys (2000)

– Director: Curtis Hanson
– IMDb user rating: 7.2
– Metascore: 73
– Runtime: 107 minutes

An English professor copes with his wife leaving him, writer’s block, and the many complex problems of his students in this Curtis Hanson picture. After initially performing poorly at the box office, “Wonder Boys” reopened in 15 theaters nationally in November 2000. It went on to secure three Oscar nominations, winning the award for Best Original Song.

#10. A Coffee in Berlin (2012)

– Director: Jan-Ole Gerster
– IMDb user rating: 7.3
– Metascore: 63
– Runtime: 86 minutes

An aimless law school dropout spends a fateful day wandering around Berlin, attempting to make sense of life. The black-and-white German film had a limited release in the United States and won a slew of European awards, including the German Film Award for Best Feature Film.

#9. L’auberge Espagnole (2002)

– Director: Cédric Klapisch
– IMDb user rating: 7.3
– Metascore: 65
– Runtime: 122 minutes

In “L’auberge Espagnole,” a French university student moves to Barcelona to improve his Spanish language skills and has a life-changing experience living in a house full of international students. Cédric Klapisch reportedly wrote the script in less than two weeks and shot the film in Barcelona on a lightweight digital camera.

#8. Animal House (1978)

– Director: John Landis
– IMDb user rating: 7.4
– Metascore: 79
– Runtime: 109 minutes

“Animal House” is the classic college comedy about a disreputable fraternity at the fictional Faber College that throws outrageous parties and continually challenges the authority of the disapproving dean. John Belushi’s famous role as Bluto significantly influenced the comedy genre, and the movie profoundly impacted the image of the college lifestyle in popular culture. The “Animal House” portrayal of competitive Greek life and wild, nonstop partying has been replicated in numerous teen movies, including “Neighbors,” “Accepted,” and “Old School.”

#7. American Graffiti (1973)

– Director: George Lucas
– IMDb user rating: 7.4
– Metascore: 97
– Runtime: 110 minutes

In a nostalgic look at 1960s teenagers, George Lucas’ iconic “American Graffiti” follows high school graduates as they cruise down California streets and live it up on their last day of summer vacation. It was almost a TV movie until Francis Ford Coppola signed on as a producer shortly after the release of “The Godfather” and secured more funding. “American Graffiti” was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Director.

#6. The Great Debaters (2007)

– Director: Denzel Washington
– IMDb user rating: 7.5
– Metascore: 65
– Runtime: 126 minutes

A professor starts a debate team at a predominately Black college in 1935, and his band of intellects becomes the first Black debate team to challenge Harvard’s champions. The film is based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson and the debate team at Wiley College.

#5. Rudy (1993)

– Director: David Anspaugh
– IMDb user rating: 7.5
– Metascore: 71
– Runtime: 114 minutes

In the iconic 1993 film “Rudy,” a high school student dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame, but he doesn’t have the grades nor the money to attend. When his best friend dies, the titular Rudy overcomes obstacles to gain admission to Notre Dame and stubbornly works his way onto the football team. Considered one of the best sports movies of all time, it was inspired by the life story of Notre Dame walk-on Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger.

#4. The Social Network (2010)

– Director: David Fincher
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Metascore: 95
– Runtime: 120 minutes

Based on the real-life story of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, “The Social Network” follows the creation of the life-changing social media site while Zuckerberg was a student at Harvard. The film opened with positive reviews, and Harvard students at the time enjoyed the movie’s depiction of life at the university, overall viewing it as a relatable account. “The Social Network” took home three Academy Awards and four Golden Globes, though Zuckerberg wasn’t pleased with some of the liberties the filmmakers took with his story.

#3. The Graduate (1967)

– Director: Mike Nichols
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Metascore: 83
– Runtime: 106 minutes

In Mike Nichols’ seminal film “The Graduate,” Dustin Hoffman plays a recent college graduate who is seduced by a bored housewife while he’s home for the summer, struggling with what to do next in life. The award-winning film became a classic for its relatable depiction of young adulthood, and for capturing the mood of the 1960s college generation, marking a shift in Hollywood and society alike. The movie’s soundtrack, featuring songs by Simon & Garfunkel, also made waves—it was the first time a film had featured a popular rock group’s previously recorded music. College students then and now still repeat some of its most famous lines, such as “wood or wire?” and “one word: plastics.”

#2. Good Will Hunting (1997)

– Director: Gus Van Sant
– IMDb user rating: 8.3
– Metascore: 70
– Runtime: 126 minutes

Boston native Matt Damon co-wrote and starred in the award-winning “Good Will Hunting,” a film about a man with the IQ of a genius who works as a janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and receives life guidance from a psychologist. It catapulted Damon and writing partner Ben Affleck to stardom, earned Robin Williams his sole Oscar, and became director Gus Van Sant’s most profitable film to date, banking $225.9 million worldwide. Still wildly popular among Boston college students more than 20 years later, universities screen “Good Will Hunting” during welcome-week events, and residents visit filming locations around the city.

#1. Whiplash (2014)

– Director: Damien Chazelle
– IMDb user rating: 8.5
– Metascore: 88
– Runtime: 106 minutes

“Whiplash” tells the story of a talented young drummer (Miles Teller) studying at a competitive music conservatory where he’s physically and mentally abused by a respected professor intent on pushing his students to greatness. While abusive band director Fletcher, played by J.K. Simmons, was met with some criticism, “Whiplash” was nominated for five Academy Awards, including the 2015 Best Motion Picture of the Year, and won three. Director Damien Chazelle (“La La Land”) said his own high school music experience inspired the film, and he used the movie to take the competitive environment to the extreme.

Additional writing by Cu Fleshman.

25 iconic movies that are so bad they’re good

Hundreds of films are released in the United States each year. In 2025, 602 movies came out in the U.S. and Canada—a far cry from the pre-pandemic peak of more than 872 in 2018, but a significant recovery from the 460 released in 2022. So, there are bound to be a few duds mixed in with the award winners and box office hits.

Movies are as varied as the tastes of their viewers. Some horror flicks are genuinely terrifying, others campy. Some comedies generate deep belly laughs, while others leave viewers laughing at the film instead of along with it.

Still, many enjoy the guilty pleasure of watching so-called “bad” films. As an August 2024 New York Times article pointed out, hate-watch culture has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. And data confirms the trend—a 2023 Canvs AI study found a 79% increase in hate-watching between 2021 and 2022, as Primetimer reported.

Several 2026 movies have earned their fair share of hate watches. The Guardian critic Xan Brooks described the documentary “Melania” as “gilded trash,” while Erik Piepenburg of The New York Times called the horror film “Psycho Killer” an “unsuccessful slasher.” Many more horror releases from the past few months have also underwhelmed critics, including the sequel film “Scream 7” and the survival disaster “Thrash.”

Despite what the professionals may say, however, badness is subjective, and plenty of maligned movies number among our favorites. To celebrate them, Stacker researched these bad but beloved films and spotlighted a few that live on in horrible movie history. To make the list, the film had to score less than a 4.0 IMDb user rating with at least 5,000 votes or have a Metascore below 35. Keep reading for 25 movies that are so bad they’re entertaining, listed from highest to lowest IMDb user rating.

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

– Director: Rob Hedden
– IMDb user rating: 4.5
– Metascore: 14
– Runtime: 100 minutes

As the eighth of 12 films in the lengthy “Friday the 13th” series—and a film that takes Jason Voorhees away from the familiar setting of Crystal Lake—it’s no surprise “Jason Takes Manhattan” falls short for many viewers. The movie follows Jason (Kane Hodder) as he is resurrected, murders a group of people aboard a ship, and spends a surprisingly short amount of screen time terrorizing the film’s title borough. The hockey-masked killer still draws fans in, though, with some arguing that this film provides the most important character development in the entire series.

Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)

– Director: Russell Mulcahy
– IMDb user rating: 4.2
– Metascore: 31
– Runtime: 91 minutes

Acclaimed film critic Roger Ebert proclaimed “Highlander II: The Quickening” “almost awesome in its badness.” This second of six films in the franchise features highlander Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) fighting to save Earth as the ozone layer disappears. Although the plot is illogical and often difficult to follow, big-name stars like Sean Connery, Michael Ironside, and Virginia Madsen make it interesting to watch.

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)

– Director: Edward D. Wood Jr.
– IMDb user rating: 3.9
– Metascore: 56
– Runtime: 79 minutes

In “Plan 9 from Outer Space,” aliens descend upon Earth to resurrect the dead and implement their evil plan. This cheaply made blend of science fiction and horror elicits more laughs than fear, with plenty of errors visible on-screen: the shadow of a boom mic, a script on an actor’s lap, and scars that move around on a character’s face.

The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)

– Director: Ron Underwood
– IMDb user rating: 3.8
– Metascore: 12
– Runtime: 95 minutes

“The Adventures of Pluto Nash” is a futuristic action-comedy about a lunar nightclub owner named Pluto Nash (Eddie Murphy) who refuses to sell his business to mobsters. The $100 million film didn’t just bomb with critics; it also tanked at the box office with just $7.1 million to show for it. But with Eddie Murphy starring and an ensemble cast including Rosario Dawson, Luis Guzmán, Jay Mohr, Joe Pantoliano, and Randy Quaid, even a bad movie can be good for a laugh.

Reefer Madness (1936)

– Director: Louis J. Gasnier
– IMDb user rating: 3.7
– Metascore: 70
– Runtime: 66 minutes

“Reefer Madness,” one of the most well-known propaganda films of all time, was intended to scare viewers about the dangers of marijuana use. The movie reflects the real panic that overtook America in the 1930s, but the campy acting and racist undertones were a recipe for failure. The film resurfaced in the 1970s when it was used to advocate for the legalization of marijuana and was also embraced by the public for its comedic value.

Batman & Robin (1997)

– Director: Joel Schumacher
– IMDb user rating: 3.7
– Metascore: 28
– Runtime: 125 minutes

Despite grossing nearly $240 million worldwide at the box office, “Batman & Robin” received scathing reviews from critics and fans. There’s plenty that is laughable about the film, like the anatomically graphic rubber costumes and the plethora of cringey one-liners. Yet the cast (featuring George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell, and Alicia Silverstone) and the soundtrack (showcasing tunes from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Jewel, and Smashing Pumpkins) manage to conjure the perfect late ’90s nostalgia that viewers still enjoy today.

The Room (2003)

– Director: Tommy Wiseau
– IMDb user rating: 3.6
– Metascore: 9
– Runtime: 99 minutes

“The Room” is a story viewers have seen before: A woman cheats on her fiancé with his best friend, forever changing their relationship. However, a poorly developed plot and unintelligible dialogue—not to mention an overabundance of absurd sex scenes—hindered the execution of this trope. The film spent only two weeks playing in two theaters upon release, but a combination of monthly midnight shows, private screenings, and word-of-mouth from popular celebrities turned it into a cult classic.

The Master of Disguise (2002)

– Director: Perry Andelin Blake
– IMDb user rating: 3.3
– Metascore: 12
– Runtime: 80 minutes

Even comedic icons such as “Saturday Night Live” alum Dana Carvey get it wrong sometimes. In “The Master of Disguise,” Carvey plays an Italian waiter who uses the power of disguise—an outlandish assortment of costumes, makeup, and wigs—to save his parents. The schtick gets old even in a film that lasts only 65 minutes before the outtake-filled credits, but many fans still enjoyed the exaggerated style of slapstick comedy.

Sharknado (2013)

– Director: Anthony C. Ferrante
– IMDb user rating: 3.3
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 86 minutes

“Sharknado” is the type of movie that is purposely absurd, which is exactly why it works. 1990s screen stars Ian Ziering and Tara Reid lead the fight to save Los Angeles from thousands of killer sharks lifted out of the ocean by a waterspout. With a little something for everyone—action, comedy, disaster, and science fiction—the entertainment value is high even though the plot, acting, and special effects are lacking.

Shanghai Surprise (1986)

– Director: Jim Goddard
– IMDb user rating: 3.2
– Metascore: 16
– Runtime: 97 minutes

“Shanghai Surprise” brings an odd blend of adventure and romance set in late 1930s China. Then-newlyweds Madonna and Sean Penn star as a missionary nurse and the man who helps her find opium to treat her patients’ pain. George Harrison also makes a cameo, is credited as co-executive producer, and wrote music for the film—but his star power isn’t enough to outweigh Madonna’s lackluster performance, which earned her a Razzie Award for Worst Actress.

Kazaam (1996)

– Director: Paul Michael Glaser
– IMDb user rating: 3.1
– Metascore: 24
– Runtime: 93 minutes

Playing on the old genie-in-a-bottle trope, “Kazaam” stars basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal as a djinn who is accidentally summoned by a boy. Although an athlete transitioning into acting can be dicey, it’s not Shaq’s performance that makes this movie difficult to watch; in fact, he’s one of the bigger draws.

Roger Ebert characterized the film’s downfall as the poor script and lack of originality. His review noted how closely “Kazaam” mirrors Disney’s animated “Aladdin and the King of Thieves,” released later the same year.

Cool as Ice (1991)

– Director: David Kellogg
– IMDb user rating: 2.9
– Metascore: 24
– Runtime: 91 minutes

“Cool As Ice” casts ’90s musician Vanilla Ice in the predictable role of a bad-boy rapper who falls for a small-town girl. Although the film is intended to be serious, the acting—and Ice’s rapping, which of course is incorporated into the storyline—is humorous.

Richard Harrington of The Washington Post summed it up well, calling the film “a cross between an after-school special and MTV video, melding threadbare plot with colorful visuals and delivering a message, which is, basically, Vanilla Ice is cool.”

Troll 2 (1990)

– Director: Claudio Fragasso
– IMDb user rating: 2.9
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 95 minutes

In “Troll 2,” a family on vacation learns the town is filled with hungry goblins pretending to be humans. The low budget, unknown cast, and paltry three-week shooting schedule limited the film’s potential. Yet, somehow, the amateurish acting and memorable script ultimately drove the movie to cult classic status.

The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)

– Director: Rod Amateau
– IMDb user rating: 2.7
– Metascore: 1
– Runtime: 100 minutes

The Garbage Pail Kids, who literally spawned from the gunk found in a garbage can, began as a spoof on the fresh-faced Cabbage Patch Kids that were popular in the 1980s.

Building on the success of the trading cards that originally introduced the characters, “The Garbage Pail Kids Movie” stars a young Mackenzie Astin in a bizarre coming-of-age tale. The storyline and overall film quality take a back seat to the snot, vomit, and general “gross-out humor” that kids love about these characters.

Simon Sez (1999)

– Director: Kevin Alyn Elders
– IMDb user rating: 2.6
– Metascore: 16
– Runtime: 85 minutes

“Simon Sez”, the second film on the list starring a basketball player, features Dennis Rodman as an Interpol agent who is out to get a dangerous arms dealer. It bombed at the box office, grossing less than $300,000—a paltry sum for a film that cost $10 million. Still, Rodman’s larger-than-life persona, alongside the movie’s blend of action and comedy, provides enough entertainment value for many viewers.

Gigli (2003)

– Director: Martin Brest
– IMDb user rating: 2.6
– Metascore: 18
– Runtime: 121 minutes

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez headline “Gigli” as two gangsters who fall for each other while on a mission. Cameos by Al Pacino and Christopher Walken can’t save this awkward romantic comedy, which uses a man with an intellectual disability for cheap laughs. The only saving grace: Without “Gigli,” Bennifer never would have happened.

Battlefield Earth (2000)

– Director: Roger Christian
– IMDb user rating: 2.5
– Metascore: 9
– Runtime: 118 minutes

John Travolta promoted his film “Battlefield Earth,” based on a novel by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, with bombastic comparisons to the likes of “Pulp Fiction,” “Schindler’s List,” and “Star Wars.” Even so, it was a huge flop; executive producer Andrew Stevens said it “should never have been made.” The storyline of humans fighting to take back their planet from aliens is enough to intrigue some viewers; however, the bizarre cinematography, weak script, and outlandish costumes made this sci-fi flick difficult to watch.

Glitter (2001)

– Director: Vondie Curtis-Hall
– IMDb user rating: 2.4
– Metascore: 14
– Runtime: 104 minutes

Mariah Carey may be one of the best pop singers of all time, but that doesn’t mean she can play one in a movie. Critics slammed “Glitter” for being boring, unoriginal, and poorly acted. Despite this, fans still enjoy hearing the diva sing on screen, and others get a good laugh from watching her portray a rising songstress.

Chairman of the Board (1997)

– Director: Alex Zamm
– IMDb user rating: 2.3
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 95 minutes

Scott Thompson, better known as Carrot Top, headlines as a surfer-turned-executive in “Chairman of the Board.” The film’s overt ’90s nostalgia combined with the comedian’s signature slapstick style may appeal to some, but much of the humor is crude and culturally insensitive.

From Justin to Kelly (2003)

– Director: Robert Iscove
– IMDb user rating: 1.9
– Metascore: 14
– Runtime: 81 minutes

Kelly Clarkson stars alongside Justin Guarini in the musical romance “From Justin to Kelly.” The thin storyline and forced nature of the whole project were enough to make Clarkson beg to be released from her contract before filming even started. Yet “American Idol” fans still enjoyed watching the first season winner and runner-up sing and dance their way to spring break love in this flick.

The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)

– Director: Coleman Francis
– IMDb user rating: 1.8
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 54 minutes

In “The Beast of Yucca Flats,” a scientist (Tor Johnson) undergoes a Hulk-like transformation after being exposed to radioactive material. The stiff narration, minimal dialogue, bad acting, and poor production value make this film underwhelming. The end result: A brief but entertaining blend of horror and science fiction that draws laughter instead of fear.

Going Overboard (1989)

– Director: Valerie Breiman
– IMDb user rating: 1.8
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 99 minutes

“Going Overboard” features a young Adam Sandler in the predictable role of a struggling comedian who unexpectedly gets his big break on a cruise ship. The plot is flimsy, but it’s a movie worth watching just to see the comedy icon’s film debut.

Monster a Go-Go (1965)

– Directors: Bill Rebane, Herschell Gordon Lewis
– IMDb user rating: 1.7
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 68 minutes

Despite being described as incoherent—perhaps because one filmmaker (Bill Rebane) began the project and another (Herschell Gordon Lewis) completed it—the B-movie styling of “Monster a Go-Go” is sure to entertain. The sci-fi spectacle aims to unravel the potential link between a space capsule that crashed to Earth, a missing astronaut, and a 10-foot-tall radioactive monster.

Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)

– Director: Harold P. Warren
– IMDb user rating: 1.6
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 70 minutes

In “Manos: The Hands of Fate,” a traveling family accidentally happens upon what the movie poster calls “a cult of weird, horrible people who gather beautiful women only to deface them with a burning hand!” The premise sounds catchy enough, but a long list of poor cinematic decisions led to a less-than-stellar finished product.

The dialogue is entirely dubbed, filming often deviated from the script, and the entire movie was edited in just a few hours. Many still find entertainment value in this horror flick, though, partly due to its roasting on the popular comedy series “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”

Titanic: The Legend Goes On… (2000)

– Director: Camillo Teti
– IMDb user rating: 1.5
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 90 minutes

Perhaps attempting to capitalize on the success of James Cameron’s epic film released three years earlier, “Titanic: The Legend Goes On…” is an animated musical following a couple who falls in love during their ill-fated journey across the Atlantic. There’s no logical reason why the tale of this ocean liner should be marketed toward children, much less with talking animals and a rapping dog, but this level of absurdity is sure to make viewers laugh aloud.

50 of the most quotable film characters of all time

Some lines of dialogue in cinema are so memorable that they become part of our shared cultural language. These movie quotes can embody a specific moment in time and perfectly capture a feeling or idea, such that they become a verbal shorthand that connects people.

The most memorable one-liners are often only a few words long. For instance, “Amaze! Amaze! Amaze!” from the March 2026 sci-fi blockbuster “Project Hail Mary” made its way onto an official NASA broadcast in April. At the same time, longer quotes can still break through—though perhaps not in the ways you’d expect. In April 2026, U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth made headlines for quoting an altered Bible passage that appears in 1994’s “Pulp Fiction.”

But are any of us repeating our favorite lines correctly? Human memory is imperfect, and sometimes quotes are distorted or misremembered by the public. This phenomenon is known as the Mandela Effect, named for the false belief many people shared that the former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, had died in prison when he was actually still alive after his sentence. One example of this can be found in the Disney classic “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Did you know the film’s famous quote isn’t “Mirror, mirror on the wall,” but “Magic mirror on the wall”? That holds true in the 2025 live-action remake “Snow White,” as much as we want to believe the quote is correct in our heads.

Never fear, as the following list is a collection of accurate lines from some of the most quotable film characters ever. Stacker researched unforgettable quotes in movie history and the characters behind them, highlighting 50 across nearly a century of filmmaking. The results are listed in chronological order by film release date. Keep reading to see how many famous lines you know and how accurately you remember them.

Dorothy Gale

– Actor: Judy Garland
– Film: The Wizard of Oz (1939)

When young Dorothy Gale and her dog are swept up by a tornado, then plunked down in the magical land of Oz, she aptly exclaims “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” This line is frequently misquoted, however, as most people leave out the “I’ve a feeling” part. Nevertheless, it has become a widely used pop culture reference over the years as a way to express feeling out of place or to denote a strange situation.

Charles Foster Kane

– Actor: Orson Welles
– Film: Citizen Kane (1941)

“Rosebud” is the first line of this classic film and the last word uttered by Charles Foster Kane before his death. It takes the entire movie to unravel what the word means—the final scene shows an old sled with “Rosebud” painted on it, revealing a link to Kane’s childhood. This symbol of innocence, which suggests Kane’s longing for happier days, is an unexpected contrast to the adult he became: a rich, powerful character based on real-life publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst.

Rick Blaine

– Actor: Humphrey Bogart
– Film: Casablanca (1942)

Although Rick Blaine says “Here’s looking at you, kid” multiple times throughout the film, it wasn’t originally in the script. Humphrey Bogart improvised the line while filming a flashback scene to his Paris affair with on-screen love Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman). This iconic quote has since been referenced in a number of other films, including a scene between Jack Black and Kate Winslet in the 2006 rom-com “The Holiday.”

Margo Channing

– Actor: Bette Davis
– Film: All About Eve (1950)

Young Eve Harrington inserts herself into the world of Broadway star Margo Channing in this Academy Award-winning classic. Margo is known for her sharp tongue as she catches on to Eve’s game, and is perhaps best remembered with the quote “Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.” People often get this line wrong though, replacing the word “night” with “ride.”

Norma Desmond

– Actor: Gloria Swanson
– Film: Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Silent film star Norma Desmond longs to shine again in the new era of talking films but remains hopelessly stuck in the past. Unable to accept that the times have changed, Norma pretends she is still the brightest star in Hollywood, saying “I am big! It’s the pictures that got small.”

Blanche DuBois

– Actor: Vivien Leigh
– Film: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Even after suffering a series of hardships and trauma, including being raped by her sister’s husband Stanley (Marlon Brando), the character of Blanche DuBois does everything she can to maintain her strength and dignity. This adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play closes with Blanche in the midst of a mental health crisis; she still summons the fortitude to tell the doctor “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” The movie created such a lasting impact that a 2019 drama titled “The Kindness of Strangers” derived its name from this quote.

Osgood Fielding III

– Actor: Joe E. Brown
– Film: Some Like It Hot (1959)

Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) headline this film, disguised as women in order to hide from mobsters, but it’s millionaire Osgood Fielding III that steals the scene with his famous quote at the movie’s end. Osgood falls in love with Jerry’s female persona, Daphne, and seems entirely unphased when it is revealed that she is really a man. Osgood’s response—”Well, nobody’s perfect”—is surprisingly progressive for the time, indicating he doesn’t care (and maybe even knew the entire time) that his love was for a man.

Norman Bates

– Actor: Anthony Perkins
– Film: Psycho (1960)

Before the big reveal that Norma Bates is actually dead, Norman provides a bit of creepy insight and foreshadowing into his unnaturally close relationship with his mother. While dining together, motel guest Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) asks about his friends, questioning Norma’s control over her son. Norman responds with the chilling statement: “Well, a boy’s best friend is his mother.”

President Merkin Muffley

– Actor: Peter Sellers
– Film: Dr. Strangelove (1964)

One of the most hilarious moments of Cold War satire “Dr. Strangelove” occurs when an Air Force general comes to inform the president that the Soviet Union is building a massive bomb. President Merkin Muffley responds to the heated discussion with an absurdly contradictory, and utterly memorable, exclamation: “Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!”

Captain

– Actor: Strother Martin
– Film: Cool Hand Luke (1967)

The titular character Luke (Paul Newman) is a prisoner working on a road crew where the warden delivers both punishment and one of the film’s most memorable lines: “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” Out of context, the line sounds wise; but in reality, Captain is a cruel man who rules over his prisoners with an iron fist. This quote stuck in the pop culture lexicon, popping up as a sample in “Civil War,” the opening track on the Guns N’ Roses 1991 album “Use Your Illusion II.”

Virgil Tibbs

– Actor: Sidney Poitier
– Film: In the Heat of the Night (1967)

After being called a racial slur by a white Mississippi police chief, Detective Virgil Tibbs snaps back, demanding respect with the unforgettable response “They call me Mister Tibbs!” This line was so impactful it was used as the title for the film’s sequel, released three years later with Poitier reprising his role as the first Black police detective ever to lead a series.

Mr. McGuire

– Actor: Walter Brooke
– Film: The Graduate (1967)

A single word spoken by a minor character comes in at #42 on the American Film Institute’s list of “100 Greatest Movie Quotes Of All Time”: “Plastics.” At a party for the new college graduate, family friend Mr. McGuire pulls Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) aside to offer his opinion on the future viability of the plastics industry, which also serves as a commentary on the corporate culture of the time. This one word even outranked the film’s other most memorable quote—”Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me. Aren’t you?”—which lands at number 63 on AFI’s list.

Dave Bowman

– Actor: Keir Dullea
– Film: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

The terrifying potential of artificial intelligence is revealed when HAL 9000—the system that controls the spaceship Discovery One—begins to turn against the crew. What begins as a refusal to follow orders escalates into HAL killing everyone aboard except scientist Dave Bowman. When Bowman becomes stuck outside the spaceship, he famously says, “Open the pod bay doors, HAL,” to which the computer eerily responds, “I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Fanny Brice

– Actor: Barbra Streisand
– Film: Funny Girl (1968)

This big-screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical recounts the story of real-life Vaudeville performer Fanny Brice. The film opens with Fanny walking quietly backstage through the New Amsterdam Theatre before she stops, looks in a mirror, and utters two magical words: “Hello, gorgeous.”

Ratso Rizzo

– Actor: Dustin Hoffman
– Film: Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Due to the film’s low budget, actor Dustin Hoffman recalls having to walk through real traffic while filming a scene where his character, hustler Ratso Rizzo, talks with the so-called Midnight Cowboy (Jon Voight).

On the first take, Hoffman claims a cab jumped forward, causing him to impulsively hit the hood and blurt out the now-famous line “Hey! I’m walkin’ here! I’m walkin’ here!”; however, director John Schlesinger recalls that this was scripted. Either way, the line became so famous that it is mimicked by Lieutenant Dan (Gary Sinise) in “Forrest Gump” and Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) in “Back to the Future Part II,” among other movies.

Vito Corleone

– Actor: Marlon Brando
– Film: The Godfather (1972)

“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse” is such a memorable line in film history that it ranks as number two on the American Film Institute’s list of “100 Greatest Movie Quotes Of All Time.” Spoken first by head mafioso Vito, this statement serves to emphasize the Corleone family’s immense power. The same statement is then repeated later in the film by Michael (Al Pacino), who is poised to take over the family business from his father.

Coffy

– Actor: Pam Grier
– Film: Coffy (1973)

The classic Blaxploitation film “Coffy” is filled with punchy dialogue. The title character delivers memorable lines like: “You gonna fly through them pearly gates with the biggest f—— smile St. Peter ever seen!” and “You don’t have any salad,” as she dumps a bowl of some on a woman’s head.

Lawrence Walsh

– Actor: Joe Mantell
– Film: Chinatown (1974)

Jack Nicholson stars as J.J. “Jake” Gittes, a former Los Angeles police officer turned private detective who is hired by Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband’s murder. Following a series of plot twists and turns, this story ends on a bleak note with Evelyn shot down by police while Jake watches, powerless to intervene.

Jake’s former colleague, Officer Lawrence Walsh, encourages him to shake off the troubling events with the film’s iconic last line, which reflects the corruption inherent in America: “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.”

Martin Brody

– Actor: Roy Scheider
– Film: Jaws (1975)

About an hour into this suspenseful film, viewers finally get a good look at the shark that is being hunted—a shark so large that Chief Martin Brody backs away to tell the captain “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” Although this line is often repeated incorrectly, using “we’re” instead of “you’re,” films like “Clerks” and “Evan Almighty” have paid homage to “Jaws” by incorporating it into their scripts.

Travis Bickle

– Actor: Robert De Niro
– Film: Taxi Driver (1976)

The classic scene in “Taxi Driver” where Travis Bickle stands in front of a mirror, practicing his tough guy routine as he prepares to clean up the streets of New York, was actually improvised. With only general direction from screenwriter Paul Schrader, Robert De Niro came up with the now infamous words “You talkin’ to me?” The quote is so popular that De Niro claims someone has said the phrase to him every day for four decades since the film’s release.

Howard Beale

– Actor: Peter Finch
– Film: Network (1976)

When Howard Beale, a news anchor for a failing TV network, is told he will only have a job for two more weeks, he hits the airwaves to share a piece of his mind—and these angry tirades actually improve network ratings. Beale’s speeches aren’t just about his own situation, though; he encourages viewers to fight back against issues large and small, to stand up and shout “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”

Han Solo

– Actor: Harrison Ford
– Film: Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

“May the Force be with you” is one of the most iconic lines in the Star Wars franchise, spoken by many characters across the various films. Perhaps the most memorable delivery is from Han Solo, who says it to Luke Skywalker as his belief in the Force grows in “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.” However, the very first character to speak these words in the series was actually General Jan Dodonna to relay good luck to a group of Rebel Alliance pilots after briefing them on a dangerous mission earlier in the same film.

Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore

– Actor: Robert Duvall
– Film: Apocalypse Now (1979)

Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore sits on the beach, encouraging his troops to surf while bombs rain down around them, in a scene so famous it is recognized by many who haven’t even seen this film. In an eerily calm, detached voice, Kilgore announces: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning,” stating it “smells like … victory.” This quote, which emphasizes the absurdity of the Vietnam War, has been repurposed over the years in everything from kids’ movies like “Casper” (1995) to adult dramas like “The Bucket List” (2007).

Jack Torrance

– Actor: Jack Nicholson
– Film: The Shining (1980)

In the midst of a psychological breakdown, Jack Torrance tears through the Overlook Hotel, chops a hole through a door, shoves his face in, and shouts the unforgettable words “Here’s Johnny!” This character’s most iconic line isn’t found in the Stephen King novel that inspired the movie, or in the film’s original script—it was improvised by Jack Nicholson during the three-day shoot of this climactic scene as a reference to “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”

Dr. Rumack

– Actor: Leslie Nielsen
– Film: Airplane! (1980)

When the flight crew becomes sick, a former fighter pilot is forced to ensure the plane lands safely. Dr. Rumack is the passenger who informs Ted Striker (Robert Hays) that he must fly the plane, causing Striker to panic and respond with an incredulous “Surely you can’t be serious?” Rumack’s deadpan reply is the film’s most well-known wisecrack: “I am serious—and don’t call me Shirley.”

Joan Crawford

– Actor: Faye Dunaway
– Film: Mommie Dearest (1981)

In her 1978 memoir “Mommie Dearest” which served as the inspiration for the biopic of the same name, Christina Crawford shared how abusive her adoptive mother, film star Joan Crawford, really was. In one particularly difficult revelation, Christina disclosed she was beaten when her mother found wire hangers in her closet. The big-screen adaptation takes this abuse a step further, depicting Joan screaming: “No wire hangers, ever!” before hitting her daughter with one of them.

Ethel Thayer

– Actor: Katharine Hepburn
– Film: On Golden Pond (1981)

Ethel and her grumpy old husband Norman (Henry Fonda) spend each summer at their retreat on Golden Pond, but this year is a bit different: Their daughter, Chelsea (Jane Fonda), decides to visit, fearing her father’s 80th birthday may be his last. The film does a beautiful job of exploring love, family, and aging, particularly via one tender scene where Ethel comforts her worried husband: “Listen to me, mister. You’re my knight in shining armor. Don’t you forget it. You’re going to get back on that horse, and I’m going to be right behind you, holding on tight, and away we’re gonna go, go, go!”

Carol Anne Freeling

– Actor: Heather O’Rourke
– Film: Poltergeist (1982)

Two little words spoken by a five-year-old child set viewers on edge in the classic ’80s horror flick “Poltergeist.” After moving into a new home, the O’Rourke family awakens to find their youngest child staring at a static-filled TV screen. At first, they don’t understand what Carol Anne means as she sing-songs the creepy words “They’re here,” but then the poltergeist takes their daughter.

The Terminator

– Actor: Arnold Schwarzenegger
– Film: The Terminator (1984)

It’s a good thing writer-director James Cameron held his ground against Arnold Schwarzenegger, or the world never would have heard the film’s cyborg killer tell police officers “I’ll be back.” Schwarzenegger didn’t like the line, which morphed from “I’ll come back” to the now infamous quote before Cameron put his foot down and told the actor it wasn’t changing. The Terminator continues to speak those three well-known words through every sequel in the franchise.

Johnny Castle

– Actor: Patrick Swayze
– Film: Dirty Dancing (1987)

Handsome resort dance teacher Johnny Castle has a lot of memorable on-screen moments, but nothing tops his iconic line in the final scene of “Dirty Dancing.” Marching into the end-of-season celebration, set to prove himself, Johnny approaches Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and her family, then utters the classic quote “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” Viewers swoon, Johnny and Baby perform one last unforgettable dance, and the rest is cinematic history.

Customer

– Actor: Estelle Reiner
– Film: When Harry Met Sally… (1989)

Neither Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) nor Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) speaks the most memorable line in this fan-favorite 1980s rom-com; it’s actually said by a background actor played by director Rob Reiner’s mother. The titular duo is having lunch while discussing the likelihood of women faking orgasms, when Sally decides to prove to Harry that it’s easier than he thinks—by faking one right there in the middle of the restaurant. Following Sally’s performance, the scene concludes with a cut to an older woman eating nearby who hilariously quips “I’ll have what she’s having.”

Hannibal Lecter

– Actor: Anthony Hopkins
– Film: The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Cinema’s greatest villain, according to the American Film Institute, is also responsible for one of the most memorable movie quotes of all time. Hannibal Lecter’s polished presentation in some ways belies the monster underneath, but his true nature is revealed through these indelible words shared with FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster): “A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”

Col. Nathan R. Jessep

– Actor: Jack Nicholson
– Film: A Few Good Men (1992)

This film’s most unforgettable quote—one recognized even by those who have never seen the movie—comes as Col. Nathan R. Jessep sits on the stand in military court, under questioning by younger lawyer Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise). As tempers flare and voices begin to rise, Kaffee pressures Jessep to reveal the truth related to the death of one of his men. Jessep emphatically bellows in response: “You can’t handle the truth!”

Forrest Gump

– Actor: Tom Hanks
– Film: Forrest Gump (1994)

Forrest Gump’s life story unfolds through the framework of flashbacks as he sits on a bench, telling tales to the person waiting for a bus beside him. Perhaps the most frequently quoted gem from the film is shared on this bench, as Forrest relays wisdom from his beloved mother: “My mama always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.'” However, many people misremember this quote, making the tiny mistake of using the word “is” instead of “was.”

Jules Winnfield

– Actor: Samuel L. Jackson
– Film: Pulp Fiction (1994)

Although it is known as “the Ezekiel 25:17 speech,” Jules Winnfield’s most memorable monologue doesn’t actually match this passage from the Bible—rather, it is adapted from “Karate Kiba,” a 1973 martial arts movie. The content, however, is apropos for a hitman like Jules, especially the section where he screams: “And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.” Part of his monologue also shows up on the tombstone of Jackson’s character Nick Fury in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding

– Actor: Morgan Freeman
– Film: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Although Stephen King’s short story “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption” ends ambiguously, the big screen adaptation gives viewers some much-needed closure about the friendship between two imprisoned convicts. Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) and Red desperately hope to find one another again on the outside, and they ultimately do. This denouement is only made sweeter by Red’s final optimistic lines as he travels toward this reunion: “I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.”

Rod Tidwell

– Actor: Cuba Gooding Jr.
– Film: Jerry Maguire (1996)

When sports agent Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) is fired from his company, he is desperate to retain even one of his former clients. A moment of movie magic is born as Jerry banters on the phone with football player Rod Tidwell, convincing him to stay. Rod has just one request: “Show me the money,” which he forces Jerry to repeat over and over, louder each time, in a hilariously unforgettable scene.

Dorothy Boyd

– Actor: Renée Zellweger
– Film: Jerry Maguire (1996)

The love story between titular character Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) and a young mother named Dorothy is like most on-screen romances—it has its ups and downs. Dorothy ultimately feels that Jerry doesn’t truly love her, so she leaves him, setting the story up for one of the most romantic movie reconciliations of all time. When Jerry finally returns to win her back with an impassioned speech, Dorothy cuts him off with the iconic line: “You had me at hello.”

Detective James Carter

– Actor: Chris Tucker
– Film: Rush Hour (1998)

Detective James Carter’s most famous line is not the most politically correct. During their first meeting, Carter incorrectly assumes that Chinese investigator Lee (Jackie Chan) does not speak English, prompting his well-known exclamation: “Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?!” This line is also repeated in the 2001 sequel, “Rush Hour 2.”

Tyler Durden

– Actor: Brad Pitt
– Film: Fight Club (1998)

In the movie adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, the Narrator (Edward Norton) looks to Tyler Durden—who turns out to be his alter ego—for inspiration to break free from his everyday, mundane life. As the two work together to create a secret fight club, Durden offers up thought-provoking gems like “It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”

Cole Sear

– Actor: Haley Joel Osment
– Film: The Sixth Sense (1999)

Four little words foreshadow one of the biggest twists in cinematic history. When young Cole tells Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) “I see dead people,” first-time viewers generally don’t consider what this could imply about the child psychologist. It’s only in hindsight, at the end of the film, that the truth becomes clear: Dr. Crowe is one of the dead people Cole sees.

Morpheus

– Actor: Laurence Fishburne
– Film: The Matrix (1999)

In a key turning point of the first film in “The Matrix” series, Morpheus presents his protégé Neo (Keanu Reeves) with a choice: “You take the blue pill—the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill—you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” The symbolism of the blue pill as willful blindness to reality and the red pill as acceptance of the brutal truth permeates pop culture, with imitations of this famous line showing up in such unexpected places as the 2023 trailer for the “Barbie” movie.

Quincy McCall

– Actor: Omar Epps
– Film: Love & Basketball (2000)

Quincy and Monica (Sanaa Lathan) are childhood friends who eventually try dating, but ultimately go their separate ways—and later realize this was a mistake. The night before Quincy’s wedding, Monica challenges him to a one-on-one basketball game “for his heart.” Quincy wins, but as Monica walks away sadly, he reveals his true feelings with this unforgettably romantic line: “Hey … double or nothing?”

Gollum

– Actor: Andy Serkis
– Film: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Quotes from the original source material don’t always make it into the film adaptation, but thankfully one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s most memorable little phrases did. After possessing the Ring for nearly 500 years, it’s no wonder Gollum repeatedly utters “My precious”—with a distinctly sibilant sound—as he yearns to get his prized possession back.

Ron Burgundy

– Actor: Will Ferrell
– Film: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Ron Burgundy may only be a local 1970s news anchor, but he sees himself as a bona fide star. This grandiose persona leads to lots of laughs, including one of the film’s most frequently repeated quotes: “I’m not quite sure how to put this, but … I’m kind of a big deal.”

Jack Twist

– Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal
– Film: Brokeback Mountain (2005)

This story of two men who unexpectedly fall in love—1960s Wyoming ranchers Jack and Ennis (Heath Ledger)—is a groundbreaking piece of cinematic history. The constant conflict of desire with the pressure to hide their true selves is heart-wrenching to watch, and is reflected most memorably in Jack’s words to Ennis: “I wish I knew how to quit you.”

Daniel Plainview

– Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis
– Film: There Will Be Blood (2007)

Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson wrote “There Will Be Blood” with Daniel Day-Lewis in mind for the lead role, so it’s no surprise this character powerfully delivers more than a few unforgettable lines. Perhaps none is quite as memorable as “I drink your milkshake,” a quirky phrase that comes during the film’s climax as Daniel verbally, then physically, tears down his enemy, preacher Eli Sunday (Paul Dano). These words are a metaphor, revealing to Eli that the power-hungry oil miner has already drained all the oil from neighboring land—which he does not own—much like siphoning a milkshake through a long straw.

The Joker

– Actor: Heath Ledger
– Film: The Dark Knight (2008)

In only three words, viewers are given a deep, dark, and dubious look into how this iconic character came to be the twisted criminal that he is. The Joker claims that his father murdered his mother, and then while asking “Why so serious?” cut his son’s face into the gory wide smile that lends itself to the villain’s nickname—allegedly.

Amy Dunne

– Actor: Rosamund Pike
– Film: Gone Girl (2014)

At first, “Gone Girl” seems like the typical mystery story: A happy suburban wife disappears and her husband Nick (Ben Affleck) is a potential suspect. However, halfway through the film, audiences are thrown for a loop with the words “I’m so much happier now that I’m dead.” It turns out Amy isn’t dead after all—she has been carefully faking her own disappearance to frame her husband as revenge for cheating.

Howard Ratner

– Actor: Adam Sandler
– Film: Uncut Gems (2019)

Howard Ratner may not be “all talk and no action” as the saying goes, but he is definitely flashy on the surface while his life underneath remains a real mess. This big city jeweler and obsessive gambler loves to wheel and deal, hoping to catch the next big thing. One memeable quote in a climactic scene captures his confidence beautifully: “This is how I win.”

Additional reporting by Lucas Hicks. Story editing by Chris Compendio. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Abigail Renaud.

Top 50 movies of the ’60s

As one of America’s most transformative decades, the 1960s represented a cultural shift on multiple fronts, cinema being no exception. Between the emerging youth market, the collapse of the studio system, the influence of foreign films, increased competition from television, and numerous other factors, the decade ushered in new paradigms of big-screen entertainment. Old Hollywood became New Hollywood, and along with this changing of the guard, there arose an endless sense of possibility and innovation.

It’s almost impossible to overstate the influence of seminal 1960s movies or their respective departures from previous norms. As if spitting in the face of the Hays Code—which officially ended in 1968—films such as “Bonnie & Clyde” and “The Wild Bunch” offered stark depictions of violence. And whereas Old Hollywood movies would often coyly infer their sexual themes, comedies like “The Graduate” put those very same themes front and center. Over in Europe, meanwhile, movements like the French New Wave were likewise exploring new terrain and influencing a legion of aspiring filmmakers in the process.

Even with so much change in the air, however, there was still plenty of room left for a good old-fashioned John Wayne Western or blockbuster musical. In the same sense that Frank Sinatra was a contemporary of The Rolling Stones, movies such as “Funny Girl” and “Oliver!” were released the same year as “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Of course, it was the latter—along with works like “Easy Rider”—that challenged the medium’s very own conventions.

In the immediate wake of this historic transition, there came a slew of talented young visionaries. Having absorbed the technical innovations and narrative devices of 1960s cinema, directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg carried the torch into the next decade and beyond. To this day, they remain synonymous with the modern era of filmmaking. But the true modern era started with their influences both in America and abroad.

If these examples don’t give you enough of a sense of the lasting power of 1960s cinema, one need only look at some of the iconic films celebrating their 60th anniversary in 2026, including “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “Blow-Up,” “Persona,” “A Man for All Seasons,” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Together, these movies present a perfect picture of the decade’s eclecticism.

To honor the decade in which everything changed, Stacker compiled data on all ’60s movies to come up with a Stacker score—a weighted index split evenly between IMDb and Metacritic scores. To qualify, the film had to have a release date between 1960 and 1969, a Metascore, and at least 5,000 votes. Metascore broke ties, and further ties were broken by IMDb user rating. Counting down from #50 to #1, here are the greatest movies of the 1960s.

#50. The Graduate (1967)

– Director: Mike Nichols
– Stacker score: 89.1
– Metascore: 83
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Runtime: 106 minutes

Not only did this seminal comedy capture the spirit of its era, it also ushered in a new mode of American storytelling. It centers on disaffected grad student Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) who gets romantically entangled with both a young woman and her lascivious mother (Anne Bancroft). In addition to its modern themes, the film features unforgettable dialogue and a classic soundtrack from Simon & Garfunkel.

#49. The Miracle Worker (1962)

– Director: Arthur Penn
– Stacker score: 89.6
– Metascore: 83
– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– Runtime: 106 minutes

This Academy Award-winning biopic tells the true story of Anne Sullivan (played by Anne Bancroft) and Helen Keller (played by Patty Duke). As Keller’s tutor, Sullivan is tasked with teaching her blind and deaf pupil how to communicate. Arthur Penn directed both the original play version and then this big screen adaptation.

#48. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

– Director: Jacques Demy
– Stacker score: 89.6
– Metascore: 86
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Runtime: 91 minutes

French multi-hyphenate Jacques Demy directs Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo in this musical drama. In the spirit of certain operas or stage musicals, all the film’s dialogue is sung. The story unfolds in three parts and spins a tale of romance against the backdrop of the Algerian War.

#47. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

– Director: Arthur Penn
– Stacker score: 89.6
– Metascore: 86
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Runtime: 111 minutes

If there’s a single film that divides Old Hollywood from new, it could very well be this seminal crime saga. Loosely based on actual events, it follows a small-town waitress (Faye Dunaway) and her ex-con boyfriend (Warren Beatty) on a Depression-era robbery spree. The two anti-heroes at its center took the world by storm, as did the movie’s uncompromising portrayal of gun violence.

#46. Goldfinger (1964)

– Director: Guy Hamilton
– Stacker score: 89.6
– Metascore: 87
– IMDb user rating: 7.7
– Runtime: 110 minutes

The third official Bond entry is also the best, according to the Tomatometer and numerous fans alike. Sean Connery reprises the role and takes on his most formidable adversary yet, a thieving bullion dealer by the name of Auric Goldfinger. Everything that made the early franchise iconic was either introduced or perfected here.

#45. Faces (1968)

– Director: John Cassavetes
– Stacker score: 89.6
– Metascore: 88
– IMDb user rating: 7.6
– Runtime: 130 minutes

Helmer John Cassavetes employs his signature cinéma vérité style in this acclaimed drama about a crumbling upper class marriage. It’s the last of the director’s works to be shot in black and white and the first to star wife Gena Rowlands. Nominated for three Oscars, it set an early and influential benchmark for DIY filmmaking.

#44. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

– Director: Sergio Leone
– Stacker score: 90.2
– Metascore: 80
– IMDb user rating: 8.5
– Runtime: 165 minutes

Gritty in tone and sweeping in scope, Sergio Leone’s spaghetti Western chronicles a violent dispute over a profitable piece of land. Henry Fonda plays against type as a ruthless mercenary, who kills at the behest of a greedy railroad tycoon. Quentin Tarantino is such a fan that he recently dubbed it “the movie that made [him] consider filmmaking.”

#43. Band of Outsiders (1964)

– Director: Jean-Luc Godard
– Stacker score: 90.2
– Metascore: 88
– IMDb user rating: 7.7
– Runtime: 95 minutes

From the director of “Breathless” comes this French New Wave crime dramedy with offbeat overtones. Follow two Hollywood-obsessed crooks as they convince a young woman (Anna Karina) to help them rob her own home. Featured in the film is an improvisation-style dance sequence that took on a life of its own in pop culture.

#42. Spartacus (1960)

– Director: Stanley Kubrick
– Stacker score: 90.7
– Metascore: 87
– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– Runtime: 197 minutes

Kirk Douglas plays the slave Spartacus and leads a revolt against the Roman Republic in this Oscar-winning epic. Douglas was so passionate about the project that he bought the rights to the source material using his own money. Stanley Kubrick wasn’t originally attached to helm, only boarding the project after Douglas fell out with original director Anthony Mann.

#41. Mary Poppins (1964)

– Director: Robert Stevenson
– Stacker score: 90.7
– Metascore: 88
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Runtime: 139 minutes

Entertaining young children to this day, “Mary Poppins” tells the story of its eponymous British nanny (Julie Andrews). Upon descending from the sky by way of a magic umbrella, Poppins whips a family into shape. The blockbuster film won five Academy Awards, including Best Original Music Score.

#40. The Innocents (1961)

– Director: Jack Clayton
– Stacker score: 90.7
– Metascore: 88
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Runtime: 100 minutes

Adapted from a Henry James novella, this British horror classic explores the fine line between the psychological and supernatural. After arriving at a new estate, a young governess (Deborah Kerr) grows increasingly convinced that the grounds are haunted. Martin Scorsese considers it one of the scariest films of all time.

#39. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

– Director: Stanley Kubrick
– Stacker score: 91.3
– Metascore: 84
– IMDb user rating: 8.3
– Runtime: 149 minutes

Something of a head-scratcher upon its 1968 debut, Kubruck’s sci-fi classic has achieved true masterpiece status over time. Depicting human evolution as the result of advanced alien forces, it influenced an endless swath of subsequent space epics. Kubrick was involved in virtually every aspect of production, even choosing the fabrics for some of the actor’s costumes.

#38. Rocco and His Brothers (1960)

– Director: Luchino Visconti
– Stacker score: 91.3
– Metascore: 84
– IMDb user rating: 8.3
– Runtime: 179 minutes

Luchino Visconti’s sweeping Italian drama follows five brothers as they move from a small village to the big city. It breaks down into chapters and dedicates each chapter to the respective story of each brother. An original three-hour version was shortened for foreign distribution and has since been restored.

#37. Persona (1966)

– Director: Ingmar Bergman
– Stacker score: 91.3
– Metascore: 86
– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– Runtime: 83 minutes

A series of intense visuals sets the stage for Bergman’s surrealist nightmare. What appears to be a story about a mute actress (Liv Ullmann) and her nurse (Bibi Andersson) doubles as a meditation on various themes, including the nature of cinema itself. Critics and cinephiles are still trying to figure this one out.

#36. A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

– Director: Daniel Petrie
– Stacker score: 91.3
– Metascore: 87
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Runtime: 128 minutes

Playwright Lorraine Hansberry adapted her own Broadway play when writing the script for this acclaimed social drama. It tells the story of a struggling African American family, who become the unexpected recipients of a hefty insurance payout. As they hash out their plans, an alternative glimpse of American life unfolds.

#35. The Birds (1963)

– Director: Alfred Hitchcock
– Stacker score: 91.3
– Metascore: 90
– IMDb user rating: 7.7
– Runtime: 119 minutes

Alfred Hitchcock was at a creative peak when he unleashed this classic horror flick, in which vicious birds descend upon a small town. Both real birds and mechanical ones were used during production, as were a number of “yellow screen” effects. To attract the real birds during the shoot, many of the film’s actors smeared ground meat and anchovies on their hands.

#34. Eyes Without a Face (1960)

– Director: Georges Franju
– Stacker score: 91.3
– Metascore: 90
– IMDb user rating: 7.7
– Runtime: 90 minutes

A trailblazing work, this eerie French-language film set early precedents for the body horror subgenre. In the hopes of giving his daughter a new face, a guilt-ridden surgeon goes to maniacal extremes. Not just a major cinematic influence for decades to come, the movie also inspired a top-selling Billy Idol song.

#33. The Great Escape (1963)

– Director: John Sturges
– Stacker score: 91.8
– Metascore: 86
– IMDb user rating: 8.2
– Runtime: 172 minutes

Allied prisoners plot a massive escape from a German POW camp in this WWII actioner. While based on actual events, the story does take its liberties. For instance, the real-life escape didn’t involve any motorbike chases.

#32. In Cold Blood (1967)

– Director: Richard Brooks
– Stacker score: 91.8
– Metascore: 89
– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– Runtime: 134 minutes

Truman Capote’s game-changing novel inspired this noirish docudrama. In the wake of a botched robbery turned quadruple homicide, two drifters must come to terms with their heinous act. Naturalistic performances from lead actors Robert Blake and Scott Wilson lend the work a chilling degree of verisimilitude.

#31. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

– Director: George A. Romero
– Stacker score: 91.8
– Metascore: 89
– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– Runtime: 96 minutes

Armed with a great idea and an estimated budget of just over $100,000, filmmaker George Romero churned out this landmark horror classic. Not only did it spawn a number of sequels, but it more or less single-handedly launched the entire zombie subgenre. Funnily enough, the word “zombie” is never once uttered in the film.

#30. Repulsion (1965)

– Director: Roman Polanski
– Stacker score: 91.8
– Metascore: 91
– IMDb user rating: 7.7
– Runtime: 105 minutes

The first English-language film from Roman Polanski kicked off the director’s informal “Apartment Trilogy.” Layering psychosexual themes beneath a veneer of claustrophobic anxiety, it chronicles the breakdown of a repressed woman (Catherine Deneuve). Writing for The A.V. Club, critic Greg Cwik claimed that the film “pioneered a new genre of gendered horror.”

#29. Z (1969)

– Director: Costa-Gavras
– Stacker score: 92.3
– Metascore: 86
– IMDb user rating: 8.3
– Runtime: 127 minutes

This taut political drama centers on the assassination of a Greek pacifist leader and subsequent cover-up. Inspired by the real-life killing of political figure Grigoris Lambrakis, it follows two men on their search for truth and justice. Roger Ebert called it “a political cry of rage and a brilliant suspense thriller” in his four-star review.

#28. Masculin Féminin (1966)

– Director: Jean-Luc Godard
– Stacker score: 92.3
– Metascore: 93
– IMDb user rating: 7.6
– Runtime: 103 minutes

Director Jean-Luc Godard turns his attention toward “the children of Marx and Coca-Cola” in this romantic dramedy. At its heart is the Parisian love affair between a wayward idealist (Jean-Pierre Léaud) and rising pop star (Chantal Goya). In addition to its unique sense of self-awareness, the film provides a candid snapshot of 1960s youth culture.

#27. Le Petit Soldat (1963)

– Director: Jean-Luc Godard
– Stacker score: 92.3
– Metascore: 97
– IMDb user rating: 7.2
– Runtime: 88 minutes

As one of history’s most influential directors, it’s no surprise that Jean-Luc Godard crafted many of the decade’s best films. This one takes place during the Algerian War and follows the affair between two lovers with opposing political views. It was shot in 1960 but initially banned due to stark depictions of torture and a subversive outlook.

#26. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

– Director: Robert Mulligan
– Stacker score: 92.9
– Metascore: 88
– IMDb user rating: 8.2
– Runtime: 129 minutes

Harper Lee’s timeless novel made for an equally timeless film with “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Set in a small Southern town during the Depression, it puts lawyer Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) up against hostile locals in the midst of a racially charged case. The film features a classic six-and-a-half minute speech from Finch, which was reportedly nailed by Peck in one take.

#25. The Hustler (1961)

– Director: Robert Rossen
– Stacker score: 92.9
– Metascore: 90
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Runtime: 134 minutes

Paul Newman stars as pool shark “Fast” Eddie Felson in this acclaimed 1961 drama. Down on his luck and out of money, Felson hustles his way back to the top, grappling with his own soul along the way. Newman would later reprise the role in the 1986 follow-up “The Color of Money.”

#24. Hara-Kiri (1962)

– Director: Masaki Kobayashi
– Stacker score: 93.4
– Metascore: 85
– IMDb user rating: 8.6
– Runtime: 133 minutes

Peace has spread across 17th-century Japan and that’s bad news for thousands of samurai, who are left without a cause or a master. Prepared to commit the honorable act of hara-kiri—a form of ritual suicide—an elder warrior first learns of the tragic fate that befell his son-in-law. So begins a brutal showdown between the lone samurai and a feudal lord.

#23. 8½ (1963)

– Director: Federico Fellini
– Stacker score: 93.4
– Metascore: 91
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Runtime: 138 minutes

Federico Fellini’s autobiographical masterpiece follows the misadventures of his thinly veiled counterpart, an overstressed director named Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni). Against a whirling backdrop of fantasy and memory, Anselmi prepares for his next film. Roger Ebert once called it “the best film ever made about filmmaking.”

#22. The Servant (1963)

– Director: Joseph Losey
– Stacker score: 94
– Metascore: 93
– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– Runtime: 116 minutes

This British drama explores the shifting dynamic between a wealthy aristocrat (James Fox) and his scheming servant (Sir Dirk Bogarde). When adapting the source novella, screenwriter Harold Pinter was tasked with tempering its overtly gay themes. The film is also often viewed as a commentary on Britain’s postwar decline.

#21. Chimes at Midnight (1965)

– Director: Orson Welles
– Stacker score: 94
– Metascore: 94
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Runtime: 115 minutes

Adapting multiple Shakespeare plays, this once-overlooked drama follows the adventures of Sir John Falstaff (Orson Welles) and Prince Hal (Keith Baxter). It debuted at Cannes to hostile reception and then all but vanished for decades. Resurrected and reappraised, it’s now considered one of Welles’ greatest achievements.

#20. The Producers (1967)

– Director: Mel Brooks
– Stacker score: 94
– Metascore: 96
– IMDb user rating: 7.6
– Runtime: 88 minutes

Comedy legend Mel Brooks presents the story of producers Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, who put together a play called “Springtime for Hitler.” If the play sounds like a guaranteed disaster in the making, that’s the plan, as both men realize they can make more money by producing a flop. The film pulls off an impressive feat in that it both celebrates and skewers Broadway musicals at the very same time. For somewhat obvious reasons, it was banned in Germany for many years.

#19. A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

– Director: Richard Lester
– Stacker score: 94
– Metascore: 96
– IMDb user rating: 7.6
– Runtime: 87 minutes

Released at the height of Beatlemania, this whimsical romp spends nearly two days in the life of the Fab Four. Zany antics and killer songs move the story forward at a brisk pace, lending the film a certain timeless allure. The opening scene of the band running from hordes of fans has been more or less ingrained into the collective cultural consciousness.

#18. Cool Hand Luke (1967)

– Director: Stuart Rosenberg
– Stacker score: 94.5
– Metascore: 92
– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– Runtime: 127 minutes

A laid-back southerner arrives in prison, where—to the chagrin of a cruel warden—his infectious behavior has a discernible effect on his fellow inmates. So goes 1967’s “Cool Hand Luke,” starring Paul Newman in the iconic title role. An ex-convict named Don Pearce wrote the source novel and also co-wrote the script, basing the character on a real-life legend.

#17. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

– Director: John Frankenheimer
– Stacker score: 94.5
– Metascore: 94
– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– Runtime: 126 minutes

This taut political thriller stars Frank Sinatra as former POW Major Bennett Marco, who gets brainwashed into becoming a Cold War assassin. To get the film greenlit by reluctant studio executives, Sinatra had his friend, President John F. Kennedy, give them a call. It didn’t perform too well at the box office, but has since endured as a favorite among cinema buffs and conspiracy theorists alike.

#16. My Fair Lady (1964)

– Director: George Cukor
– Stacker score: 94.5
– Metascore: 95
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Runtime: 170 minutes

In this adaptation of a Broadway musical, a phonetics professor (Rex Harrison) wagers he can transform a lowly flower girl into a member of high society. Screen legend Audrey Hepburn plays the female lead, a role portrayed by Julie Andrews in the Broadway version. Both Andrews and Hepburn received Best Actress nominations at the 1965 Golden Globes. It was Andrews who ended up walking away with the award, for her performance in “Mary Poppins.”

#15. Samurai Rebellion (1967)

– Director: Masaki Kobayashi
– Stacker score: 95.1
– Metascore: 90
– IMDb user rating: 8.4
– Runtime: 128 minutes

A samurai is torn between two codes in this acclaimed Japanese drama. On one side is the demands of a feudal lord and on the other is the love between his son and daughter-in-law. When the daughter-in-law gets kidnapped, all bets are off.

#14. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

– Director: John Ford
– Stacker score: 95.6
– Metascore: 94
– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– Runtime: 123 minutes

One among a number of collaborations between director John Ford and actor John Wayne, this black and white drama centers on a supposedly heroic senator (James Stewart). Heralded as the man who once shot and killed a notorious criminal, he returns to the town in which the deed took place. It’s only then that the true story is revealed.

#13. La Dolce Vita (1960)

– Director: Federico Fellini
– Stacker score: 95.6
– Metascore: 95
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Runtime: 174 minutes

Striking a balance between satire and sentimentality, Fellini dives into the world of Rome’s elite class. His avatar for the journey is lustful journalist Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni), who indulges in a variety of hedonistic whims. If not for this film and a character named Paparazzo (Walter Santesso), the word “paparazzi” wouldn’t exist.

#12. Jules and Jim (1962)

– Director: François Truffaut
– Stacker score: 95.6
– Metascore: 97
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Runtime: 105 minutes

From French New Wave icon François Truffaut comes the story of a love triangle between two men and one woman. Based on a semi-autobiographical novel, it kicks off just before WWI and unfolds over the course of many years. On Empire’s list of “The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema,” this one lands at #46.

#11. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

– Director: Roman Polanski
– Stacker score: 96.2
– Metascore: 96
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Runtime: 137 minutes

This horror classic tells the story of Catholic housewife, Rosemary (Mia Farrow), who believes that something’s terribly wrong with her unborn child. As it turns out, she’s carrying the spawn of the devil himself. It’s the second installment in Polanski’s unofficial “Apartment Trilogy.”

#10. The Wild Bunch (1969)

– Director: Sam Peckinpah
– Stacker score: 96.2
– Metascore: 97
– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– Runtime: 135 minutes

Gritty director Sam Peckinpah offers this violent Western, in which a group of aging gunslingers get together for one last job. Set in 1913, the story finds its rugged protagonists struggling to keep pace with a rapidly changing society. The action culminates with a deadly standoff in a Mexican village.

#9. The Apartment (1960)

– Director: Billy Wilder
– Stacker score: 96.7
– Metascore: 94
– IMDb user rating: 8.3
– Runtime: 125 minutes

Billy Wilder’s 1960 comedy centers on aspiring corporate type C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon), who lends his pad to company executives for their extramarital trysts. Things get complicated when it turns out the personnel director is having an affair with the girl of Baxter’s dreams. The film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

#8. The Battle of Algiers (1966)

– Director: Gillo Pontecorvo
– Stacker score: 96.7
– Metascore: 96
– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– Runtime: 121 minutes

One of the most influential political films ever made, this gripping war drama presents the Algerian Revolution from alternating perspectives. Fact-based storytelling and realistic violence generate a documentary-like aesthetic and so too does the black-and-white palette. Viewers may occasionally forget that they’re watching a fictionalized version of events.

#7. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

– Director: Sergio Leone
– Stacker score: 97.3
– Metascore: 90
– IMDb user rating: 8.8
– Runtime: 178 minutes

Sergio Leone’s brutal “Dollars Trilogy” redefined the Western genre and made Clint Eastwood one of Hollywood’s hottest stars. In this series apex, three rugged gunslingers square off over a buried fortune. The film’s ruthless characters and unforgettable score continue to bolster its enduring legacy among critics and fans.

#6. Au Hasard Balthazar (1966)

– Director: Robert Bresson
– Stacker score: 97.8
– Metascore: 100
– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– Runtime: 95 minutes

Robert Bresson’s minimalist masterpiece follows the tragic life of a mistreated donkey and the girl who once owned him. A spiritual companion piece to 1967’s “Mouchette,” it likewise tackles themes of powerlessness and abuse in a hostile world. This one is not for the faint of heart.

#5. The Leopard (1963)

– Director: Luchino Visconti
– Stacker score: 98.4
– Metascore: 100
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Runtime: 186 minutes

Italian director Luchino Visconti chronicles the waning days of the Sicilian aristocracy in this historical epic. As the world rapidly changes around him, a prince (Burt Lancaster) proves himself inert against the rising tide. The story builds to a 45-minute ballroom sequence of considerable regard.

#4. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

– Director: Stanley Kubrick
– Stacker score: 98.9
– Metascore: 97
– IMDb user rating: 8.4
– Runtime: 95 minutes

Based on a decidedly non-comic novel, this pitch black comedy escalates a series of military mishaps to the point of global destruction. Actor Slim Pickens—who plays an overzealous cowboy pilot—thought they were making a serious war drama the whole time. While that wasn’t the case, director Stanley Kubrick has indeed depicted war from a more sobering perspective in other films.

#3. Army of Shadows (1969)

– Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
– Stacker score: 98.9
– Metascore: 99
– IMDb user rating: 8.2
– Runtime: 145 minutes

This acclaimed thriller adapts a novel of the same name and goes deep into the French underground during WWII. Pulling no punches, it tracks the efforts of resistance fighters as they attempt to take down the Nazi regime. Once a member of the French Resistance himself, director Jean-Pierre Melville drew upon personal experience when crafting the work.

#2. Psycho (1960)

– Director: Alfred Hitchcock
– Stacker score: 99.5
– Metascore: 97
– IMDb user rating: 8.5
– Runtime: 109 minutes

Hitchcock went to great lengths to ensure this groundbreaking slasher film delivered maximum thrills and surprises. That included prohibiting late admittance to the theater, and reportedly having his assistant buy up copies of the source novel so as to prevent spoilers. Bear witness to serial killer Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and the legendary shower scene that’s still dissected in film schools to this day.

#1. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

– Director: David Lean
– Stacker score: 100
– Metascore: 100
– IMDb user rating: 8.3
– Runtime: 228 minutes

Winner of seven Academy Awards, director David Lean’s WWI epic tells the story of British officer T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole). On assignment in Arabia, Lawrence helps lead native tribes in a guerrilla war against the Turks. The film’s wide-reaching influence touched down on a number of subsequent blockbusters, including “Star Wars.”