It’s really hard to narrow down the past four decades of cinema into a list of eleven movies, but there are some sacrifices we have to make. With so many masterpieces having come out over the years, the industry is evolving together with the viewers’ tastes and film becomes more than just good art—it becomes a lifestyle.
This sort of list is often subjective, but we can’t deny some movies are just classics that move the boundaries of known filmmaking; whether it’s a classic action film or one that revolutionized the genre, a drama that lingers long after you watch it, or a classic fantasy epic that leaves us mesmerized, there’s a film for every taste among the best of the best. Here are the eleven best movies of the last 40 years.
‘Spirited Away’ (2001)
Spirited Away isn’t just for fans of animation—it’s a masterful hand-drawn story that weaves themes and lessons about growing up, coming into your own, and taking responsibility. Though visually stunning and exceptionally written, Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films are often heavy; their events clash or are direct consequences of some of life’s most traumatic events, like war and death. The world-building in Miyazaki’s movies is persuasive and magical, which is why his works have been dominating the box office and award shows consistently over the years.
Spirited Away, perhaps fortunately, doesn’t take place during a war, but it represents a major shift in a child’s life, relocation. 10-year-old Chihiro’s family journeys to their brand-new home, and stops to explore an abandoned resort town. Chihiro meets a boy, Haku, who tells her they must leave before sunset when the spirits start to come out, but it’s too late and Chihiro gets stuck in the spirit world. The story includes themes of growth, identity, and greed; with only herself to rely on, Chihiro experiences a coming of age story and takes viewers on a journey of spirituality, maturity, and emotional resilience. As more than just an Oscar-winning film, Spirited Away is a vital piece of cinema we’ve luckily learned to appreciate early.
‘Die Hard’ (1988)
“Yippie-ka-yay, motherfu**er!” is universally used in many situations in life, not just those that have to do with releasing hostages from the hands of German kidnappers. This phrase marks Die Hard, one of the greatest action thrillers of all time; some might disagree, but its influence reaches so far and wide to this day that movies inspired by it are still being made worldwide. Bruce Willis’ performance as John McClane reinvented the look and vibe of true action heroes, with him giving McClane an everyman feel, a bit of humor, and some boyish charm, showing that heroes don’t just win, but have more fun, too. On the other hand, Alan Rickman’s (film debut!) performance as Hans Gruber remains studied by actors who wish to enter their villainous side and, well, get freaky.
Die Hard was directed by the 1980s action king, John McTiernan, and follows an extremist group of criminals led by the ruthless Hans Gruber, who take an entire floor of attendees of Nakatomi Plaza’s Christmas party hostage. At the party is detective John McClane’s wife, so the stakes become personal for him, and he decides to fight with all his might to defeat Gruber and his goons. The movie’s mix of brutality, emotion, and humor is unmatched; Die Hard defined the action genre, but beyond that, it showed to international audiences what to expect from the true American spectacle.
‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007)
Paul Thomas Anderson (fondly known as PTA) is undoubtedly an influential director, and to many film fans, he’s the GOAT. It makes sense—PTA directed some of the world’s most influential movies, from Magnolia to There Will Be Blood, and most recently, One Battle After Another. If there’s one movie we can confidently claim to be PTA’s magnum opus, it is There Will Be Blood. This merciless oil-age epic is as much of an American tragedy as it is a sizzling character study, and Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano lead it by giving their all away in their greatest performances to date.
There Will Be Blood is a sprawling epic set across decades between the 19th and the 20th century, and follows the silver miner Daniel Plainview (Day-Lewis), who turns to the oil industry after it sees a rise in California. The story takes a path of dissecting capitalism, its earliest moments, and the “American Dream” that takes advantage of the capitalistic nature of things. As a majorly recognized movie by many academics and critics, There Will Be Blood is among the most influential and groundbreaking films ever made.
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
Undoubtedly the greatest action movie of the 21st century, Mad Max: Fury Road has a sort of spice and moment that’s very hard to replicate, even by George Miller himself. Do you think he was aware of what a masterpiece he made? Miller is the creator of the Mad Max franchise, the cult classic with Mel Gibson, and Fury Road has been in production since Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome from 1985. Luckily, cinema and technology progressed to lengths that helped Miller finally make the movie that Fury Road deserved to be; now ten years old, this action masterpiece has changed our view on the genre.
Fury Road is set in a post-apocalyptic world without water, and Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) traverses the desert. Coming to the Citadel, he discovers people live under the rule of the cruel Immortan Joe, who keeps imprisoned women and occasionally gives residents water. Rig driver Furiosa (Charlize Theron) decides to leave the Citadel and take Joe’s women from their prison; Max helps them escape, and a relentless chase ensues. Miller’s commitment to practical stunts and effects creates a tactile, brutal world that shows how the genre’s greatest conventions can be used for creative storytelling.
‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001)
David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but its appeal lies in actually trying to understand it. Lynch is also an acquired taste, but an influential auteur whose life and work left a lasting impression on Hollywood and its conventions; moreover, Mulholland Drive is global in tone despite being an American film—with its arthouse vibes, dream-like setting, and meditative storytelling, it encapsulates more universal feelings than just making it big in Hollywood. It’s noir that meditates on identity and desire, and finds itself on various “best of” lists regularly (this one included).
Mulholland Drive follows a wannabe actress, Betty (Naomi Watts), who moves from Ontario to Los Angeles, and meets a mysterious woman named Rita (Laura Harring). The two women become close, and find themselves in a mystery where Rita must recall her real identity. Narratively, Mulholland is dislocated and fragmented, rewarding multiple viewing and analysis; though Lynch always refused to give a definition or an explanation for his films, it’s entertaining to find motifs, themes, and metaphors in this eternal masterpiece.
‘Parasite’ (2019)
Parasite is the only international entry on this list (sadly), but it deserves to be here more than most. The Oscars would agree—they gave it awards for Best Picture, Best International Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, a combo of all the highest accolades imaginable. And surely enough, it’s not just for show—Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is one of the best movies of the 21st century, a biting satire that changes the pace halfway and makes the emotions swirl. Like most of his work, it’s a meditation and critique of capitalism and class divides, wrapped in a visually incredible feature that emphasizes the big picture as much as the details, all in due time.
Parasite follows the lower-class Kim family who, member by member, infiltrate the home of the wealthy Park family living in a modern Seoul villa. The Kims are schemers with little regard for anything other than a quick buck; the Parks are lulled in security so much that they forget the humanity of those around them. You soon realize survival and privilege are at odds here and everyone does what they know best, even if it’s reprimandable. Parasite is a thrilling foray into various genres and moral tales that only Bong could devise; it’s a masterpiece we were lucky enough to get in this lifetime.