_The 100 Best Films of All Time (15-11)

15. Chinatown

Director: Roman Polanski
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston
Genre: Crime
Academy Awards: 1
Year: 1974
Imdb-Rating: 8.4
Critic's opinion (Brian Koller): "Chinatown" may be Roman Polanski's best film. It may be Jack Nicholson's best film as well, better than "Five Easy Pieces" or "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest". It starts out seemingly an ordinary detective story and murder mystery. However, the plot gets thicker and thicker as Nicholson unravels a massive real estate scheme and learns who is behind it.

14. Star Wars

Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Alec Guinness, Carrie Fisher
Genre: Sci-Fi
Academy Awards: 7
Year: 1977
Imdb-Rating: 8.7
Critic's opinion (James Berardinelli): Since 1977, there have been many science fiction movies, but none has managed to equal STAR WARS' blend of adventure, likable characters, and epic storytelling. Like some indefatigable King of the Hill, it stands alone and triumphant, regardless of the many imitators that assail its position. As is true of CITIZEN KANE, CASABLANCA, and GONE WITH THE WIND, STAR WARS will endure long after its creators are gone. And watching this new edition today is like coming home after a long journey and finding everything just as you remember it -- if not better.

13. Gone with the Wind

Director: Victor Fleming, Sam Wood, George Cukor
Cast: Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland
Genre: Epic
Academy Awards: 10
Year: 1939
Imdb-Rating: 8.0
Critic's opinion (Brian Koller): "Gone with the Wind" is perhaps the most successful film of all time. It was the top grossing film until at least "The Sound of Music", some thirty years of inflation later. The story, and the characters, have become a part of American cultural heritage[…]Of course, "Gone with the Wind" is a costume epic and a soap opera. Because of its genre, and its strong appeal to women (the story is told through Vivien Leigh's character), there are naysayers (mostly men) who dislike the movie. But there is no doubt that it an outstanding film. If the costumes, the cinematography, and the script aren't enough to convince (which they certainly should be), the leading characters are extremely interesting and well defined.

12. Schindler's List

Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes
Genre: War
Academy Awards: 7
Year: 1993
Imdb-Rating: 8.8
Critic's opinion (Brian Koller): Universally acclaimed as one of the best films ever made, "Schindler's List" lives up to its reputation. Far different from director Steven Spielberg's previous films, "Schindler's List" is never manipulative or ponderous, and except for the stone-laying ceremony at film's end, bears its 197-minute length exceptionally well. Filmed in glorious black and white, and with outstanding direction and dialogue, the film is nearly perfect. Most surprising is the casting: no mega-stars appear in the film, particularly in the female roles. Casting is done to match the character, and not to increase box office receipts.

11. Lawrence of Arabia

Director: David Lean
Cast: Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn
Genre: Epic
Academy Awards: 7
Year: 1962
Imdb-Rating: 8.6
Critic's opinion (James Berardinelli): For David Lean, widely regarded as one of the masters of epic filmmaking, Lawrence of Arabia represented the most ambitious undertaking of a fruitful career. Restored to its full length in 1989, the version available today shows the story as Lean intended it to be seen - provided the viewer is able to see it projected, not compressed onto a TV screen. While it's true that Lawrence of Arabia still works on the small screen, it is robbed of one of the most important aspect of any motion picture spectacle - the awe factor. When that is present, this becomes an event - something that even the most restless viewer will become lost in.