47 Incredible Movies You Need To Watch If You Want To Be A Film Buff

You'll never be bored again.

We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which movie everyone who loves cinema needs to see. These were their recommendations...

1. Gone With The Wind (1939)

Loew's, Inc.

"A beautiful movie that combines drama, action, history, politics, and, of course, romance. Not to mention, Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable give spectacular performances that will make you both laugh and cry." – midnightmacrons

2. Casablanca (1942)

Warner Bros.

"Yes, it's a little hokey at times, but it has a tight script, great lines you've definitely heard before (even if you've never seen the movie!), and great performances turned in by Old Hollywood veterans: Bogart, Bergman, Peter Lorre, Claude Rains, and tons of smaller but memorable roles. It's a movie that warrants repeated viewings for good reason, and it's a film all movie lovers should watch at least once." – mrsandman29

3. Rear Window (1954)

Paramount Pictures

"One of the best films I've ever seen. The point of view is all from one room, but there are so many stories told. It might be a bit dated, it's definitely one of the best." – rebeccalucys

4. Breathless (1960)

StudioCanal

"If it wasn't for the French New Wave, none of these other films would have broken cinematic boundaries to become the great films they all are." – annis47918616e

5. The Apartment (1960)

United Artists

"Hands down the greatest film of all time. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what decade you were born in, this black and white classic transcends time. Jack Lemmon’s character illuminates human behaviour and feelings regardless of gender and age. If you’re not a fan of black and white movies, get over it! It’s the story that counts and this one is wonderful!" – jessicazemlicka

6. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

"It is, artistically speaking, probably the closest you can get to a perfect movie. The visuals are jaw-dropping, the special effects hold up well to this day, and its cinematography and themes have been massively influential on both the sci-fi genre and film as a whole. Watching it may not always be easy, but it's a magical and rewarding experience." – thesixthstation

7. Blazing Saddles (1974)

Warner Bros.

"It's a Mel Brooks comedic masterpiece. Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn (who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance), and the entire cast are all fantastic, and the ending is classic. Brooks recently said it probably couldn't be made today, which is one of the reasons everyone should go watch it." – Amanda Clay Beres, Facebook

8. Rocky (1976)

United Artists

"If you haven't watched it as an adult, it's time. The ultimate feel-good story about a guy who was sure he wouldn't accomplish anything in life, only to be given a chance. Even then he knew he couldn't win, but he fought for his pride. The end of the movie was perfect." – Simon Ritchie, Facebook

9. The Shining (1980)

Warner Bros.

"It's easily one of the most beautifully filmed movies ever, with some of the most incredibly creepy acting. Any film that only has four main cast members and still manage to pull off such haunting performances has to be one of the best films ever made!" – jessthemushroom

10. E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982)

Universal Pictures

"It's not only a heartwarming coming-of-age movie, but a hilarious '80s comedy with an adorable alien! Arguably one of Spielberg's best works, and my favourite sick day movie." – erinh447467b77

11. Amadeus (1984)

Orion Pictures

"It's honestly a masterpiece. The acting, costumes, story, how Mozart's music is used throughout… It's beautiful. It is such a beautiful film. Even if you don't think you're a fan of classical music, check it out. The story will draw you in." – maryannab

12. Back to the Future (1985)

Universal Pictures

"Not one sentence of the script is wasted. It is airtight. The thrills are as thrilling as they can get, the jokes are excellent, and there are rich details you won't discover until your third or fourth viewing. If you've never seen it, now's the time." – chrisd49128e725

13. Clue (1985)

Paramount Pictures

"It has that dramatic, mysterious theme, but is also very comedic. I would definitely recommend it to everyone." – alip4260fffc2

14. The Breakfast Club (1985)

Universal Pictures

"Hands down, every teenager should watch The Breakfast Club. It's entertaining, yeah, but I think it teaches us all how to get along, regardless of who we think we are." – raeoverweg

15. Empire of the Sun (1987)

Warner Bros.

"It's beautifully conceived and put together. I randomly think about it all the time and always find other things to love about it. I would challenge others to watch films they're not automatically drawn to, in order to broaden their critical thinking and viewing skills." – robbobrobbybert

16. The Princess Bride (1987)

20th Century Fox

"It's the quintessential fairytale adventure film. Far off places, daring sword fights, a pirate in disguise, revenge, true love! The whole wondrous tale placed in the living context of passing a story down to the next generation. I've seen it nearly 100 times and the ending still makes my heart swell." – saraelizabethb4c72b471e

17. Goodfellas (1990)

Warner Bros.

"It'll never get old. It's incredibly violent, but the camera work and soundtrack just send it over the top and into the classics category. You'll never hear the piano part of 'Layla' by Derek and the Dominoes the same way again." – marissad415

18. Schindler's List (1993)

Universal Pictures

"The best movie ever made. Spielberg uses so many beautiful techniques to create a masterpiece. Everything is filmed in black and white apart from one scene which includes a single, contrasting colour to create a hauntingly breathtaking moment." – a4c9d53eda

19. True Romance (1993)

Warner Bros.

"It’s an iconic movie, but no one has ever heard of it. It was directed by Tony Scott and written by Tarantino, so it has that violent, quick-witted flare that the rest of his films do. The love depicted is so pure and innocent, while still originating from a place of gritty darkness. Also Gary Oldman is to die for as a pimp, and Christian Slater will always be my one true love." – Kierstin Hedin, Facebook

20. Forrest Gump (1994)

Paramount Pictures

"It has an amazing story line and incredible acting, you laugh and you cry. Tom Hanks is just perfect. Robin Wright is amazing. Gary Sinis plays the perfect counterpart to Forrest. Sally Field is always so great and is perfect as his mother. It's honest and truthful, yet there's an innocence in his point of view. I believe this will be forever a timeless movie, and I hope I'm right." – Brittani June B, Facebook

21. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Warner Bros.

"It is gripping, compelling, powerful, and it speaks to all of us, no matter who you are. It will stay with you for a long time, and possibly change your life for the better. It's a prison movie, based on a short story by Stephen King, and one of only two movies I've seen in my life that's better than the book. Do yourself a favour and don't read anything about it beforehand – just watch it." – Lauren Rowell, Facebook

22. La Haine (1995)

Canal+

"It’s so raw, and is shot in black and white, which adds to the bleak themes of the movie. The dialogue between the three main characters is so natural and brilliantly acted. The ending is a shock, but a bitter reminder of what can happen to young adults living in poor cities. It’s also wonderfully edited and shot." – turntablesmicrophone

23. The Usual Suspects (1995)

Gramercy Pictures

"It's by far one of my favourite movies. Even though I've watched it so many times and know the ending, I always freak out at how brilliant the twist is. It seriously gets me every time." – jyoun432

24. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

20th Century Fox

"Baz Luhrmann takes a timeless classic and puts it in a modern setting, but still uses the original language. It's action, romance, comedy, musical, and drama all rolled into one. The imagery is breathtaking, and the soundtrack is unique and fits the film beautifully." – erinburkmanr

25. Fargo (1996)

Gramercy Pictures

"It has scams, murder, kidnapping, a sweet wood chipper scene, and Minnesotan accents. It's my all time favourite!" – hollybruneau

26. Scream (1996)

Dimension Films

"It completely redefined the horror genre and paved the way for a lot of the great horror movies still coming out today." – Cassie Freeman, Facebook

"The way Drew Barrymore is used is absolute brilliance. What a way to completely subvert audience expectations from the first scene!" – Seth Traver, Facebook

27. L.A. Confidential (1997)

Warner Bros.

"It gave us Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, and Guy Pearce at their very best. It's perfect in every way. Plot, Cast, score, script. I've seen it more times than I can remember and will see it many more times yet." – dann17

28. Life Is Beautiful (1997)

Miramax Films

"I laughed, I cried, I questioned the world and my place in it. A touching yet haunting film." – k4ad13c940

29. The Big Lebowski (1998)

Gramercy Pictures

"How many movies are like The Big Lebowski? None. From the first moment, you're sucked into a world that is perfectly crafted with humour and wit. The dialogue is perfect, there's not a wasted moment in its runtime, and it has great performances from Steve Buscemi, John Goodman, and Jeff Bridges. It's a masterclass in what a movie should be." – samuel1624

30. American Beauty (1999)

DreamWorks Pictures

"Amazing acting, especially from Kevin Spacey, and the visuals are stunning." – punnypanda12

31. The Green Mile (1999)

Warner Bros.

"It's heartbreaking and has me in tears every time, but it still retains a light-heartedness so contradictory to its main themes. The acting is brilliant – you really hate the bad guys and love the good ones. Everything about the film is amazing." – verityj

32. The Matrix (1999)

Warner Bros.

"I’m a sucker for action movies, but the literal mind-fuck that this could totally be real and no one would know about it is just so amazing to me. I love the characters and the action scenes." – mayask8er

33. City of God (2002)

Miramax Films

"It's one of the best stories I've seen on screen. It's a Brazilian film, so you'd have to watch with subtitles. It's really well acted considering the story is driven by teenagers for the most part. It also gives a glimpse of life in the not-so-wealthy part of Brazil." – carlosondray2

34. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Focus Features

"It's got everything: romance, action, sci-fi, and an amazing cast. It also has probably the best director/writer combo ever, Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman." – Russ Josephs, Facebook

35. The Fall (2006)

Roadside Attractions

"It's one of the most visually stunning films I’ve ever seen. The story is unique: it will make you laugh and cry and yearn for innocence. I have seen it over 20 times and have yet to tire of it." – nothinghere

"Stunning in every way, especially the visuals. The performance by the little girl is amazing and the relationship between her character and Lee Pace's is heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. It gets better every time I watch it. True art." – Kirsty Brough, Facebook

36. Children of Men (2006)

Universal Pictures

"If only for the two incredible tracking shots in this film. The first one, filmed from inside a moving car during a road assault, is stunning. The second, longer one near the end of the film is also amazing. It is a stunning achievement of all cogs working together." – Lyssa Kriesel, Facebook

37. The Departed (2006)

Warner Bros.

"The cast is beyond amazing, the script and storyline are unbelievably good, and goddamn it, it makes you feel so many things. I watch it many times a year, and love it every single time." – Christina K

38. Atonement (2007)

Focus Features

"Based on the book by Ian McEwan, it is a beautiful and tragic story about the power of lies. Keira Knightley and James McAvoy are perfectly cast and have intense chemistry. The visuals are stunning and artistic, and the story is epically heartbreaking." – amyo4331d6c40

39. Hot Fuzz (2007)

Universal Pictures

"At first glance, it's just an action-comedy, buddy cop movie – or a loving homage to one – but on closer inspection it is incredibly detailed. Every throwaway line has a purpose, there are so many Chekhov's gun moments, foreshadowing is everywhere. Everything is tightly tied together. Even after many (many) viewings, I still notice new details. It's not a challenging movie, but it's much more than it appears at first glance." – nemisis2222

40. The Dark Knight (2008)

Warner Bros.

"It transcends the superhero genre and becomes much more. It shows true internal struggle and illustrates perfectly what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object." – jackb4c512234e

41. Inception (2010)

Warner Bros.

"Christopher Nolan took 10 years to write that film and it shows. The entire idea is so well thought out and so complex. Everything from the music to the special effects to the acting to the cinematography is absolutely flawless." – heatherh49c1200b1

42. Gone Girl (2014)

20th Century Fox

"I know it's a relatively recent film, and David Fincher's latest (all of his movies are must-sees), but there is such a dark mood that is perfectly captured throughout the movie. The story slowly develops but is never boring and the cast is refreshing." – hayrenhag

43. Interstellar (2014)

Warner Bros.

"This is one of those movies where whatever kind of person you are, you'll take something away from it. The acting, cinematography, directing, and music are some of the best of the decade." – maxbenschneider5

"I’ve watched the movie 5 times and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. Its complexity and cinematic beauty mean I discover new things every time I watch it. It also makes me cry every time." – viviam

44. Room (2015)

A24

"It has a superb cast and director, Jacob Tremblay gives the best performance by a child of the 21st century, and when it comes down to it, is one of the most humanistic films about a parent and her child." – ryanj4a2954bd4

45. Captain Fantastic (2016)

Universal Pictures

"Don't let the name put you off – it's not some budget Marvel rip-off. It's an amazing story about a father who brings up his six children in the wild living off grid. Absolute must watch." – kseniam4fe2713f3

46. Moonlight (2016)

A24

"I don't think I've cried so much at a movie and part of it was the director's brilliant ability to show, not tell. So many emotions were clearly conveyed simply by the looks on the actors' faces. This movie also displays a certain blatant vulnerability of black men and it is so beautiful. I love this movie, it definitely deserved the Oscar." – bcdbff

47. Baby Driver (2017)

TriStar Pictures

"It is like nothing I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of movies. Everything in this movie is in service to the soundtrack. We recently re-watched the opening and noticed that even Baby shifting gears is on beat with the music." – Lyssa Kreisel, Facebook

Note: Submissions may have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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