Hey you, how are you doing? Well, today, we have got some of the Best Cult Movies of all time for you. I have mixed feelings about this topic, you know. I mean, what are cult or cult classics anyway? The movies that failed to be a success at the box office but left a very deep blueprint in the hearts of audiences that they became the subject of talks and memes, right?
And that is actually why I have mixed feelings about this. The movies below, yes, deserved a cult following as, at the time of their release, people were not ready for that masterpiece, and it flopped. Some movies got a huge cult following for no reason, but don’t you worry, darling, I have knit-picked some of my favorite and worthy cult movies of all time.
We will be including some of the major midnight movies, guilty pleasures, non-fiction, B and genre films, art and exploitation, nostalgia, camps, and my favorite. It’s so bad it’s a good movie.
So, here we go, we present you the 50 Best Cult Movies of All Time:
50. The Girl Next Door
The Girl Next Door was not much of a success at the box office or in people’s hearts at first. It did have a cult following gradually over time. The story is about a high school boy who finally finds the girl of his dream only to discover that she is a former pornographic actress. The film was nominated for three awards.
- Year: 2004
- Genre: Rom-Com
- Director: Luke Greenfield
- Cast: Emile Hirsch, Paul Dano, Olivia Wilde, Chris Marquette, Amanda Swisten, Elisha Cuthbert, Jacob Young, Timothy Bottoms, Timothy Olyphant, Harris Laskawy, Luther Reigns, James Remar.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV.
49. The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Identity was a huge commercial hit and received a lot of praise from critics. The story is about Jason Bourne, who has psychogenic amnesia and is now on his journey to find his identity while in the middle of a conspiracy involving the CIA. The movie was nominated for six awards and won 3 of them.
Sequels:
- The Bourne Supremacy (2004).
- The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).
- The Bourne Legacy (2012).
- Jason Bourne (2016).
- Year: 2002
- Genre: Action, Thriller.
- Director: Doug Liman.
- Cast: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Brian Cox, Vincent Franklin, Franka Potente, Gabriel Mann, Clive Owen, Nicky Naude, Chris Cooper, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Orso Maroa Guerrini, Tim Dutton.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Netflix.
48. The Best of Everything
A perfect movie for those girlie night hangouts. With two Oscar nominations, a great musical score, a perfect cast, and a worthy storyline, we announce The Best of Everything as being officially a cult classic. The movie is perfect on so many levels considering the fact that it was released in 1959.
The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Rona Jaffe, which was released in 1958 and followed the story of three girls: Caroline Bender, April Morrison, and Gregg Adams, who work at the Fabian Publishing Company and soon became friends and shared the apartment with each other in New York. The story showed their personal struggles, unethical work culture, employee exploitation, and more.
- Year: 1959
- Genre: Drama, Romance.
- Director: Jean Negulesco.
- Cast: Hope Lange, Robert Evans, Joan Crawford, Diane Baker, Stephen Boyd, Donald Harron, Martha Hyer, Ted Otis, Suzy Parker, Louis Jourdan, Brian Aherne, Brett Halsey.
- Where to Watch: Vudu, Prime Video.
Also Read: 43 Movies Like Love, Rosie To Watch For Rom-com Lovers
47. Coyote Ugly
Coyote Ugly gave Piper Perabo her breakthrough role. The movie is set in New York and the hotel chain Coyote Ugly served as the major inspiration for the film which is famous for its bartender to be dancing on the bars. The movie was a hit at the box office but was critically trolled, but it certainly didn’t fail to have a cult following over the years.
The story followed Violet Sanford, who left her home, her father, and everything to become a singer and started working at a bar in New York where she found the all-new trendy bar named Coyote Ugly. It is the dream movie and the inspiration for everyone out there who left their home to pursue their dreams.
Coyote Ugly also gained popularity because of its music track of it. It featured some original songs, and the album was ranked No. 1 at the weekly performance on the US Top Country and Soundtrack Albums (Billboard). It also featured some of the classics like Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley, I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor, Wherever You Will Go by The Calling, and more.
- Year: 2000
- Genre: Comedy, Drama, Musical.
- Director: David McNally
- Cast: Maria Bello, Michael Weston, Tyra Banks, Michael Bay, John Goodman, Del Pentecost, Piper Perabo, Melaine Lynskey, John Fugelsang, Adam Garcia, Bridget Moynahan, LeAnn Weston, Izabella Miko.
- Where to Watch: Apple TV
46. Eraserhead
Our first-midnight movie on the list. Well, what do we even say about this one? The story is about Henry, who married a woman named Mary X. Although he did leave her before when he got to know that she was pregnant with his baby, then decided to marry her. Well, he might regret it now, as it turned out, the baby is a lizard-like alien, and he has to care for the baby now.
- Year: 1977
- Genre: Sci-fi, Horror.
- Director: David Lynch.
- Cast: Jeanne Bates, Jack Nance, Judith Roberts, Allen Joseph, Charlotte Stewart, Laurel Near, Jack Fisk, Toby Keeler, Jennifer Lynch.
- Where to Watch: HBO Max, Prime Video, Vudu.
45. Wild Wild West
Well, Wild Wild West was a failure at the box office and didn’t receive much of good reviews either, and it did win a lot of “worst” awards. It was CBS’s television series of the same name, which ran its course from 1965 to 1969 for four seasons.
Even though almost all the awards won by Wild Wild West were in the “worst” category, Salma Hayek did manage to get Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress- Action in 2000.
The story follows Jim West, who is a US Secret Service Agent who collaborated with US Marshal Artemus Gordon to save President Grant from the mutated Tarantula of Dr. Loveless. Well, yes, they were also saving the whole old age of West America too. I mean, isn’t that all about? Saving America by one threat or another.
- Year: 1999
- Genre: Western, Action.
- Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
- Cast: Salma Hayek, Jerry Potter, David Lea, Will Smith, Sofia Eng, Orestes Matacena, Kevin Kline, Musetta Vander, Rodney A. Grant, Kenneth Branagh, Michael Sims, E. J. Callahan, Ted Levine, M. Emmet Walsh.
- Where to Watch: Netflix
44. Inherent Vice
Inherent Vice was not a commercial hit, as you may have guessed by now, but it was definitely praised by critics for its costume design, cast performance, and screenplay but was slightly trolled for its complicated plot.
Well, that was not the fault of the filmmakers, the movie was actually an adaptation of the novel by Thomas Pynchon, and it’s not really his fault too. The story demands a complex plot as it’s a period drama mystery crime.
The story is about a self-centered, always high druggist, hippie, and private investigator named Larry “Doc” Sportello, who is visited by his ex-girlfriend to solve a plot against her and her new boyfriend, which involves a lot of people from the underworld. It turned out that this case was related to the other two points he was working on.
The movie was nominated for 43 awards (including two Academy awards) and won 8 including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Score at the Denver Film Critics Society in 2015. It also made it to many Top 10 lists of 2014.
- Year: 2014
- Genre: Mystery, Crime, Period.
- Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
- Cast: Josh Brolin, Michael Kenneth Williams, Martin Donovan, Sam Jaeger, Joaquin Phoenix, Katherine Waterston, Martin Short, Jefferson Mays, Jena Malone, Owen Wilson, Eric Roberts, Resse Witherspoon, Benicio del Toro.
- Where to Watch: Vudu, Redbox., Apple TV.
Also Read: Joaquin Phoenix Net Worth, Awards, and Earnings in 2021
43. Z for Zachariah
Z for Zachariah is a post-apocalyptic movie where Ann Burden is living alone on her family’s farm and one day she stumbles on John Loomis who acclaims that he is an engineer. Everything was fine.
They started having chemistry and a relationship as they believed they were the only people left in the world and had to be together to save humanity. Until another man, Caleb appears, and the dynamics change. You can read more about this in my other article here.
- Year: 2015
- Genre: Sci-fi, Post Apocalyptic.
- Director: Craig Zobel
- Cast: Chris Pine, Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video.
42. Napoleon Dynamite
Napoleon Dynamite is loosely based on the life of Jared Hess and his short film Peluca. The story is about a teenager who is trying to pursue his life ahead while forming a romantic relationship with one of his classmates.
He has also befriended a student who wants to be the class president, and Napolean’s family is just the cherry on top. The film has been having a huge cult following and the dialogues are quoted throughout history.
- Year: 2004
- Genre: Indie, Comedy.
- Director: Jared Hess.
- Cast: Jon Heder, Emily Kennard, Trevor Snarr, Efren Ramirez, Shondrella Avery, Ellen Dubin, Sandy Martin, Tina Majorino, Carmen Brady, Haylie Duff, Aaron Ruell, Diedrich Bader, Jon Gries.
- Where to Watch: Hulu
41. Mean Girls
Mean Girls is a movie with a huge cult following and also has a lot of references to major teenage high school movies and series. This movie is frequently talked about in the CW’s series Gossip Girl. The movie gave birth to many trendy outfits, and the color pink is associated with beautiful mean girls from high school who are know-it-all slim girls who have the right to bully others.
- Year: 2004
- Genre: Comedy, Teenage.
- Director: Mark Waters.
- Cast: Daniel Franzese, Rachel McAdams, Julia Chantrey, Amy Poehler, Lindsay Lohan, Jonathan Bennett, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, Ana Gasteyer, Diego Klattenhoff, Lizzy Caplan, Rajiv Surendra.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV.
40. Barbarella
Barbarella has been praised since the day it was released for its cinematography and visuals. The story is about Barbarella, who is a future astronaut sent by the United Earth government back in time to find and stop Durand, who is creating a weapon that will be the reason that humanity died.
The movie was the second-highest-grossing at the time of its release in the UK. Since, then, many sequels, television series, and remakes have been tried by many directors and nothing worked. At last, in 2022, it is reported that Sydney Sweeney (Cassie from the series Euphoria) will produce and star in the titular film.
- Year: 1968
- Genre: Sci-fi, Adventure
- Director: Roger Vadim.
- Cast: John Phillip Law, Ugo Tognazzi, Jane Fonda, David Hemmings, Marcel Marceau, Mila O’Shea, Anita Pallenberg.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video.
Also Read 40 Best Sci-Fi Films Like Will Smith’s ‘I Am Legend
39. Rushmore
The movie established the careers of director Wes Anderson and actor Jason Schwartzman. Rushmore is Jason’s debut film, and his acting skills prove why he was chosen amongst thousands of teenagers from different countries to play the role of Max Fischer. Rushmore is praised for its story, narrative, direction, screenplay, and comic satire.
The story is about high school boy Max Fischer who falls in love with his teacher at Rushmore Academy, Rosemary Cross. Although, he got to know that his mentor and friend and rich industrialist Herman Blume is also in love with Cross. The movie was praised for Bill Murray’s performance as Herman Blume, and Murray’s career was re-established after this film.
After Rushmore, Anderson and Murray collaborated on eight films. The film has received a lot of positive reviews. It was nominated for 6 awards and won 5 out of them, mostly claiming Bill Murray as the Best Supporting Actor. The movie also made it to many Top 10 lists.
- Year: 1998
- Genre: Indie, Comedy
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Cast: Bill Murray, Stephen McCole, Brain Cox, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Connie Nielsen, Alexis Bledel, Olivia Williams, Sara Tanaka, Kumar Pallana, Seymour Cassel, Mason Gamble, Luke Wilson.
- Where to Watch: Redbox., Vudu, Apple TV, Prime Video.
38. This is the Spinal Tap
The movie gave a whole new vision to the mockumentary genre (who doesn’t know if it means fake documentary or fictional documentary). The movie features the debut of Rob Reiner, who also starred in the movie as Martin Di Bergi, around whom the story starts.
Martin is a documentary director who is making a documentary on England’s loudest heavy metal band, ‘Spinal Band.’ He is also a fan of the band and is sticking with them on their American tour.
The movie was not a commercial hit at first but was always appreciated by critics and had a huge cult following especially when it was released on VHS. The music score was another talked about topic of the film and followed many fictional music albums with some insanely great music covers.
This Spinal Tap made a lot of references throughout the movie and series history. It also made its place in many Top lists. As of May 2022, director Rob Reiner has confirmed to be working on the sequel of the film.
- Year: 1984
- Genre: Comedy, Musical, Mockumentary.
- Director: Rob Reiner.
- Cast: Michael McKean, Paul Shaffer, Russ Kunkel, Ed Begley Jr., Christopher Guest, Paul Shortino, David Kaff, Charles Levin, Harry Shearer, June Chadwick, Joyce Hyser, Rob Reiner, Paul Benedict, Tony Hendra, R. J. Parnell.
- Where to Watch: Vudu, Roku, Prime Video, Redbox.
37. Walking and Talking
It is one of the best rom-com and cult movies out there. The story is about two best friends Amelia and Laura who have been friends since they were children. Amelia feels alone and heartbroken when Laura got engaged and left her. Throughout the movie, we encounter Amelia’s love interest and Laura’s attempt to save her wedding.
- Year: 1996
- Genre: Rom-Com.
- Director: Nicole Holofcener.
- Cast: Catherine Keener, Joseph Siravo, Liev Schreiber, Todd Field, Allison Janney, Vincent Pastore, Anne Heche, Randall Batinkoff, Kaevin Corrigan.
- Where to Watch: Vudu, Prime Video.
36. Showgirls
Showgirls was a disaster on my levels, but it was in the limelight. It gained popularity instantly because of its NC-17 rating and the number of sex scenes & nudity it had. It also became a topic of immense gossip because of the graphic language and sexual violence it featured.
Despite this, the movie was a box office bomb and was considered one of the worst movies ever made. Showgirls are one of the most followed midnight movies. It’s a movie that is so bad, that it’s good. It had many references throughout television and movies.
It was trolled on any aspect that you can think of. Be it cast performance, direction, screenplay, dance numbers, storyline, and even sex scenes. We can conclude that it got famous because of the nudity and sex scenes. Later, many directors and critics reviewed the movie and appreciated the dark satire it had. Although, Showgirls was a success on home video, and Paul Verhoeven released an edited cut of the movie.
The story follows Nomi Malone who got to Las Vegas to become a showgirl. She instantly gets robbed and Molly, a costume designer befriends her and makes her roommate. Molly introduced Nomi to Cristal and Zack, who also work with Molly at the Stardust Casino, where Nomi only aspires to be. After a catfight, a lot of humiliation, and hatred, Nomi pushed Cristal and took her place in the show.
Molly was gang-raped by her ideal musician and Zack confronted Nomi’s past to her so that she shuts her mouth. Although, she didn’t take no for an answer and beat the shit out of Andrew (the musician). She settles things with Molly and Cristal and leaves for Las Vegas for good.
- Year: 1995
- Genre: Erotic, Pulp Noir, Drama, Comedy.
- Director: Paul Verhoeven.
- Cast: Elizabeth Berkley, Gina Ravera, Jim Ishida, Kyle MacLachlan, Greg Travis, Lin Tucci, William Shockley, Gina Gershon, Bobbie Phillips, Alan Rachins, Glenn Plummer, Patrick Bristow, Robert Davi, Gina Ravera, Melinda Songer.
- Where to Watch: Paramount+, fubo TV, Epix.
Also, Read:55 Best German Drama Movies To Watch in 2023
35. Wet Hot American Summer
Wet Hot American Summer was a fail at the box office and didn’t receive much of good reviews either. It gained popularity as many of the cast members are now doing some great work in the film industry, plus, this movie is the debut film of Bradley Cooper. It is said that the cast’s potential was wasted on a teenage sex comedy.
The story is set in 1981 when a group of friends are having the last day of summer camp and are trying to finish everything unfinished in just one day. It followed a lot of humor and sexual satire. The movie is followed by two series released on and by Netflix.
Web Series:
- Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (prequel) (2015).
- Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later (2017).
- Year: 2001
- Genre: Rom-Com.
- Director: David Wain
- Cast: Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper, Zak Orth, Janeane Garofalo, Joe Lo Truglio, David Hyde Pierce, Elizabeth Banks, Ken Marino, Molly Shannon, Christopher Meloni, Amy Poehler, Michael Showalter, Marguerite Moreau.
- Where to Watch: Apple TV, Vudu, Redbox., Prime Video.
34. Hairspray
Hairspray is one of the biggest commercially and critically hit musical dance show movies ever. The movie is choreographed and directed by Adam Shankman who himself is a dancer, actor, and director. He judged the Dance Tv Show “So You Think You Can Dance” for two seasons.
The movie is set in 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland, where a chubby girl Tracy Turnblad got into the limelight and became a well-renowned dancer. Although, as racism goes, she was bullied and faced many challenges until one day, she struck back. The movie was nominated for 61 awards and won 22 of them.
- Year: 2007
- Genre: Romance, Musical, Comedy.
- Director: Adam Shankman.
- Cast: Queen Latifah, Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, Michelle Pfeiffer, Allison Janney, John Travolta, Brittany Snow, Christopher Walken, Elijah Kelley, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden.
- Cameos: John Waters, Adam Shankman, Scott Wittman, Zach Woodlee, Ricki Lake, Anne Flecther, Marc Shaiman, Chester Gregory, Harvey Fierstein, Arthur Adams, Corey Reynolds, Aimee Allen, Marissa Jaret Winokur.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video.
33. Legally Blonde
All the Vampire Dairies fans say hello to young Alaric Saltzman (Matthew Davis). Legally Blonde is definitely a guilty pleasure movie. The perfect Rom-Com. It’s fun and filled with lots of humor, revenge, and romance. It’s a movie to watch when you wanna watch something light and fun.
The story is about Elle Woods, who was dumped by his boyfriend as he wanted to go to Harward law school and be with his new girlfriend; he thought Elle was not serious about her future and was dumb. Well, fasten your seatbelt, bro. She is way smarter than you. She got into the school, got the high-end internship, won the case, and unlike you, she got the admission on her own.
Legally Blonde was a commercial hit as well as was praised by critics and audiences. The story is based on the novel by Amanda Brown who took inspiration from her own experience of going to Stanford Law School as a blonde and having a personality different from the people who attend the school.
A lot of controversies and gossip surrounded the facts of Law in the movie but it didn’t fail them to get 11 nominations and win 5 out of them, 3 for Reese Witherspoon for Best Comedic Performance, Best Line, and Best Dressed at MTV Movie Awards.
The film also has a sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003), a spin-off movie Legally Blondes (2009), and a musical Legally Blonde: The Musical (2007). It also has a third movie set to be released.
- Year: 2001
- Genre: Rom-Com.
- Director: Robert Luketic.
- Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Davis, Linda Cardellini, Allyce Beasley, Moonie, Ali Larter, Victor Garber, Selma Blair, Luke Wilson, Jennifer Coolidge, Alanna Ubach, Holland Taylor, Bruce Thomas.
- Where to Watch: Apple TV, Prime Video.
Also Read: 50 Best Romantic Movies Based On Novels To Watch
32. From Dusk till Dawn
Well, let me give you some facts. Quentin Tarantino, George Clooney, Brothers, Running, FBI, Vampires. That’s it, connect the dots, and you have the story. Well, let me make it easy for you. The story is about two brothers who are running from the FBI and the police department, so they take a family hostage to get out of Mexico, only to find out that they are trapped in a saloon run by vampires.
The movie was a huge success at the box office but was not that critically acclaimed. Although, after becoming a cult classic, it did spawn two sequels which were really bad (can’t believe Tarantino could do a bad movie, right?). Well, actually, Tarantino was never a mainstream director. He gained popularity by giving us some of the major cult movies and attained mainstream success. Stay tuned, we got more of him.
George Clooney won 1 Fangoria Chainsaw Award, 1 MTV Movie Award, and 1 Saturn Award, on the other hand, Tarantino was nominated for Worst Supporting Actor at Razzie Awards and Stinkers Bad Movie Awards.
- Year: 1996
- Genre: Horror, Action.
- Director: Robert Rodriguez
- Cast: Quentin Tarantino, Kelly Preston, Salma Hayek, Harvey Keitel, John Hawkes, Ernest Liu, Fred Williamson, Brenda Hillhouse, George Clooney, Michael Parks, Juliette Lewis, Marc Lawrence, Tito & Tarantula, Tom Savini.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video.
31. Escape from New York
Escape from New York is set in 1997 which was the future of the year this movie was released. The story follows Snake Pissken who is a federal prisoner and is sent on a mission to rescue the President of the United States whose plane is crashed into the borough by the anti-government insurgents. Snake is also an ex-soldier and if he completes this mission, his sentence will be forfeited.
The main theme of the movie is how in 1997 everything becomes crime driven and the whole of Manhattan is now a maximum-security prison. The film was a success at the box office and received generally positive reviews. It also spawned a sequel, Escape from LA, released in 1996, directed by John Carpenter only.
- Year: 1981
- Genre: Action, Sci-fi.
- Director: John Carpenter.
- Cast: Kurt Russell, Charles Cyphers, Ernest Borgnine, Adrienne Barbeau, John Strobel, Lee Van Cleef, Harry Dean Stanton, Tom Atkins, Donald Pleasence, Frank Doubleday, Issac Hayes, Season Hubley.
- Where to Watch: Apple TV, Redbox., Vudu, Prime Video, Tubi.
30. Josie and the Pussycats
Josie and the Pussycats are based on the characters and story of the same name by Archie Comics and Hanna-Barbera Cartoon. The story is about a struggling all-female rock band from Riverdale, The Pussycats, later named Josie and the Pussycats.
The band is discovered by the MegaRecords music record label owner Wyatt Frame who made a contract with them. Little did the Pussycats know, the record company uses music to embed code to brainwash teenagers, and they found that out, they destroyed them.
Josie and the Pussycats didn’t receive much financial or critical success but was later recognized as a cult classic and was majorly appreciated for its film setting and musical score of it. It also referenced the CW’s Tv Series named Riverdale, which is based on Archie Comics only.
- Year: 2001
- Genre: Musical, Comedy.
- Directors: Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont.
- Cast: Rachel Leigh Cook, Alan Cummings, Aries Spears, Tara Reid, Donald Faison, Serena Altschul, Rosario Dawson, Eugene Levy, Breckin Meyer, Gabriel Mann, Parker Posey, Carson Daly, Paulo Costanzo, Missi Pyle, Tom Butler.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV, Redbox., Vudu.
29. Heathers
Young Winona Ryder, a murderer? Yup. Heathers is also named one of the best teen movies ever made. It has a perfect satire, which follows the story of a clique of four girls, three of them are named Heathers, and the fourth is Veronica Sawyer.
Their life changed when Jason Dean showed up in her life and they both started killing other students and made it look like suicides and accidents. The film was a box office bomb but has gained immense popularity over the years.
- Year: 1998
- Genre: Teen, Comedy, Black.
- Director: Michael Lehmann
- Cast: Winona Ryder, Kim Walker, Lance Fenton, Kirk Scott, Christian Slater, Patrick Labyorteaux, Phill Lewis, Stuart Mabray, Shannen Doherty, Carrie Lynn, John Ingle, Lisanne Falk, Penelope Milford.
- Where to Watch: Roku Channel, Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV.
28. Clueless
It’s a personal favorite guilty pleasure. Well, isn’t every rom-com a guilty pleasure? I mean you know the story, how it ends, and still, you re-watch it for fun. It gives you nostalgia for your high school days or the fact that you wanted your high school days to be like the days they show in these movies, right?!
Clueless is based on the novel Emma (1815) by Jane Austen. It is one of the best teen films ever made and the story is based on a teenager named Cher Horowitz who is rich and wealthy and a popular high school student. She is on a mission to start a romantic relationship with two of his teachers, plus, she befriended a new student and wanted to give her a makeover while she struggles with her own teenage problems.
- Year: 1995
- Genre: Rom-Com, Teenage.
- Director: Amy Heckerling.
- Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Julie Brown, Dan Hedaya, Elisa Donovan, Stacey Dash, Paul Rudd, Justin Walker, Brittany Murphy, Donald Faison, Wallace Shawn, Breckin Meyer, Jace Alexander, Twink Captain.
- Where to Watch: Netflix, Prime Video.
Also Read: 50 Best Romantic Comedies Movies Of All Time
27. Total Recall
Total Recall is a classic sci-fi on its own. It is based on the movie released in 1990 of the same name, which in turn was based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale,” released in 1966. The movie did good at the box office but received mixed reviews as the story didn’t follow the elements of the original film that made it a classic.
The story is set towards the end of the 21st century on Earth (unlike the original movie, which is set on Mars). Because of chemical warfare, the whole Earth is destroyed and only two territories are left: The United Federation of Britain and the Colony (Australia). People from the Colony traveled to Britain via a gravity elevator to work and earn.
Little did they know, the army of robots they are making is gonna be used against them to kill the people of the Colony, so that, UFB can have more space to live. The whole plan was blown off when a UFB Agent Carl Hauser went rogue and was captured and his memories were changed. Things changed when he finally started to do something about it and provided the freedom to the Colony by cutting all their ties with the UFB.
- Year: 2012
- Genre: Sci-fi, Action, Dystopian.
- Director: Len Wiseman
- Cast: Colin Farrell, Bokeem Woodbine, Will Yun Lee, Kate Beckinsale, Ethan Hawke, Bryan Cranston, Bill Nighy, Dylan Smith, Jessica Biel, John Cho.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video
26. Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
The perfect art that was ahead of its time. It was not a critical or commercial success at the time of its release but in recent years it gained popularity and has been said one of the best movies ever made and also titled as a movie that aged like fine wine. Quentin Tarantino has also expressed his views on a remake of the film. Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! has also attained references throughout.
The film was also considered to be an example of soft-core porn and is one of the best B movies ever made. The story is about three go-go dancers who escaped the nightclub they worked for. The story may seem deemed and dulled but it is a masterpiece if you love small settings and the exploitation genre of films.
The story began when one of the dancers, Varla, killed a man and took his girlfriend hostage. They stop at a gas station and come across a crippled old and his son who supposedly has a lot of money hidden. Varla schemed to rob the man and the other girls follow. The rest story is about money, murder, action, love, and a lot of twists. Ain’t no point in watching the movie if I tell you the story here. So, go and watch it.
- Year: 1965
- Genre: Action, Exploitation.
- Director: Russ Meyer.
- Cast: Tura Satana, Paul Trinka, John Furlong, Lori Williams, Mickey Foxx, Haji, Dennis Busch, Susan Bernard, Ray Barlow, Stuart Lancaster.
- Where to Watch: Plex.
25. The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz is the most-watched movie in history and is recently said to be second on the list of 100 greatest movies of all time published by Variety. It is the greatest fantasy film of all time and was an instant success because of its use of technicolor, brilliant musical score, and impeccable storytelling. The film was released in 1949 and earned a good amount of money.
The story is based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, released in the 1900s, and is the most successful adaptation of the Frank novel. The story is about a teenager Dorothy Gale who has teleported to the magical land of Oz because of a tornado.
The Munchkins told her to follow the yellow brick road to reach the Wizard of Oz because only he can help her get back home. Along, the way she meets a scarecrow, a tin man, and a lion, and all of them journey toward the Wizard to ask him a favor. While reaching there, the Wizard asks Dorothy to bring the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West.
- Year: 1939
- Genre: Musical, Fantasy, Fairy Tale.
- Director: Victor Fleming
- Cast: Judy Garland, Pat Walshe, Mitchell Lewis, Candy Candido, Frank Morgan, Terrym Charley Grapewin, Ray Bolger, Clara Blandick, Adriana Caselotti, Bert Lahr, The Singer Midgets, Billie Burke, Jack Haley.
- Where to Watch: Apple TV, Vudu, Redbox.
24. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is based on the novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Ronald Dahl, released in 1964. The movie became an instant hit and was a commercial hit. It received positive reviews and is considered one of the best movies ever made. It was nominated for 5 awards and won 2 of them.
The story is about a boy Charlie who finds the golden ticket which allowed him and the other four kids to access to have a tour of the chocolate factory of Willy Wonka.
Willy Wonka is the creator of the most famous and delicious chocolate bars but he shut down the factory and fired his employees because his competitors were sending in spies to steal his recipe and secrets. Little did the children know, the tour was just a test, so that, Wonka can choose his hire who will look after the chocolate factory after him.
- Year: 1971
- Genre: Fantasy, Family, Musical.
- Director: Mel Stuart
- Cast: Peter Stuart, Gene Wilder, David Battley, Leonard Stone, Frank Delfino, Jack Albertson, Ursula Reit, Julie Dwan Cole, Gloria Manon, Peter Ostrum, Paris Themmen, Roy Kinnear, Denise Nickerson, Ernst Ziegler, Dodo Denney.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV, Redbox.
23. Argo
Argo was heavily trolled for its historical inaccuracies but it didn’t fail to create a buzz and controversies. The biggest controversy surrounding Argo was that Ben Affleck was not nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards.
The story is based on real events and is adapted from The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez and The Great Escape: How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran by Joshuah Bearman.
The story is about the 1979-1981 Iran Hostage Crisis and followed how an exfiltration specialist faked his identity and disguised himself as a Hollywood producer and is making a sci-fi movie while he was there to rescue six US diplomats from Tehran.
The film was praised on many aspects like director, screenplay, and cast performance but was trolled heavily on historical inaccuracies. It was nominated for 128 awards and won 46 out of them, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing, at the Academy Awards in 2013.
- Year: 2012
- Genre: Drama, Thriller, Historical.
- Director: Ben Affleck.
- Cast: Ben Affleck, Tate Donovan, Richard Kind, John Goodman, Kyle Chandler, Sheila Vand, Bryan Cranston, Scoot Ochrane, Victor Garber, Titus Welliver, Alan Arkin, Clea DuVall, Bob Gunton, Page Leong, Adrienne Barbeau, Chris Messina, Bob Gunton.
- Where to Watch: Apple TV, Prime Video.
Also Read: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Finally Tie The Knot In Las Vegas!
22. (500) Days of Summer
500 Days of Summer is not like any other rom-com you have stumbled upon. This is our favorite teenage romance movie and a movie that actually shows what love is supposed to be. It’s pure, beautiful, and filled with love.
The story is not in chronological order and revolves around Tom Hansen, who is revisiting his memories of the 500 days he spent with the girl Summer who at that time seemed to be the girl of his dreams. Although, it was a failed attempt and Summer didn’t believe in relationships or love or boyfriends.
The movie was not that famous at first, but later it received commercial and critical success. The film made it to many Top 10 lists. It was nominated for 35 awards in total and won 9 of them including Best Original Screenplay at Satellite Award, Best Directional Debut at the National Board of Review, and Breakthrough Screenwriter at the Hollywood Film Festival.
- Year: 2009
- Genre: Rom-Com.
- Director: Marc Webb.
- Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Olivia Begg, Clark Gregg, Maile Flanagan, Zooey Deschanel, Patricia Belcher, Geoffrey Arend, Richard McGonagle Chloe Grace Moretz, Key Williams, Matthew Gray Gubler, Rachel Boston, Minka Kelly.
- Where to Watch: Apple TV.
21. Dawn of the Dead
Zack Synder’s debut film, Dawn of the Dead, is the remake of the 1978 film by George A. Romeo. The makers wanted the film to be revisioned, so, James Gunn took the basic premise of the original movie and made it more action-oriented and tried to keep it as tied to reality as possible. The movie was a box office success marking it as one of the best horror/zombie movies ever made.
The film revolves around a group of people who stay in a dysfunctional shopping mall during a zombie apocalypse while they fight their own demons.
Dawn of the Dead was deemed for not showing the character development properly but was praised for action and using a real about to defoliate the shopping mall for realistic effect. The movie was nominated for five awards and won 1 of them. It also has a sequel Army of the Dead (2021).
- Year: 2004
- Genre: Action, Horror, Zombie, Apocalypse.
- Director: Zack Snyder
- Cast: Michael Kelly, Sarah Polley, Hannah Locher, Michael Barry, Ty Burrell, Ving Rhames, Kevin Zegers, Jake Weber, Mekhi Phifer, R. D. Reid, Bruce Bohne, Lindy Booth, Louis Ferreira.
- Cameos: Zack Synder, Tom Savini, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger.
- Where to Watch: Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, iTunes.
20. TRON: Legacy
One of the greatest sci-fi commercially hit movies ever made. Tron: Legacy is a sequel to Tron, released in 1982, with the main ensemble cast returning. There were no initial plans for the film’s sequel, but Tron (1982) had a huge cult following and the makers were forced to produce a sequel.
Tron: Legacy may be a commercial hit, but unlike its predecessor, it was trolled on the aspects like the storyline, character development, and cast. It was praised for its visuals, soundtrack, and production design.
The story follows when Sam, Flynn’s elder son, is transported into the VR after he responds to the message sent by his father. Now, he and his father must fight alongside to stop Clu from destroying the real world. The movie was nominated for 19 awards and won 3 of them for Best Original Score at Austin Film Critics Association, and for Best Actor (Jeff Bridges), and Best Production Design (Darren Gilford) at Saturn Awards.
- Year: 2010
- Genre: Action, Sci-fi.
- Director: Joseph, Kosinski.
- Cast: Garrett Hedlund, James Frain, Bruce Boxleitner, Olivia Wilde, Michael Sheen, Jeff Bridges, Serinda Swan, Elizabeth Mathis, Beau Garrett, Yaya DaCosta.
- Cameos: Cillian Murphy, David Warner, Steven Lisberger.
- Where to Watch: Apple TV, Hotstar.
19. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of the adapted screenplays of a novel. The novel was written by Stephen Chbosky only, who also directed and wrote the screenplay of the movie.
The movie was a commercial hit and was critically praised for its direction, screenplay, cast performance, musical score, and emotional weightage it held. The movie was nominated for 37 awards in total and won 13 awards of them including 3 Teen Choice Awards in 2013 for Choice Movie, Choice Actor, and Choice Actress in Drama Genre.
The story revolves around a teenage boy named Charlie who has PTSD and Chronic Depression. Now, he is entering a high school where he befriends two seniors and learns to deal with things in life, including the suicide of one of his friends. The movie also makes a reference to The Rocky Horror Picture Show which Stephen Chbosky saw in his childhood.
- Year: 2012
- Genre: Romance, Drama, Teenage.
- Director: Stephen Chbosky
- Cast: Emma Watson, Nicholas Braun, Kate Walsh, Reece Thompson, Ezra Miller, Nina Dobrev, Erin Wihelmi, Melanie Lynskey, Paul Rudd, Logan Lerman, Tom Savini, Mae Whitman, Landon Pigg, Johnny Simmons, Zane Holtz.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV.
Also Read: 51 Best-Selling Novels Of All Time That Have Been Made Into Movies & TV Shows
18. Primal Fear
This is the debut film of Edward Norton, which was also a breakthrough for him as he was really applauded for his portrayal of the character Aaron Stampler in the movie. The movie is based on the novel by William Diehl and was both a commercial and a critical success. It was nominated for 22 awards in total and won 10 awards (9 by Norton and one by James Newton Howard).
Out of a total of 22 nominations, 18 (including Academy Award) were written in the name of Edward Norton, out of which he won 9, and all were for Best Supporting Actor. The movie is about a defense attorney taking up the case of a catholic boy who is charged with the murder of a Catholic archbishop.
- Year: 1996
- Genre: Crime, Thriller, Legal.
- Director: Gregory Hoblit.
- Cast: Richard Gere, Maura Tierney, Steven Bauer, John Mahoney, Edward Norton, Stanley Anderson, Laura Lineey, Aflre Woodard, Joe Spano, Jon Seda, Terry O’Quinn, Frances McDormand, Reg Rogers.
- Where to Watch: Netflix.
17. Blade Runner
I have written about this movie before too (in the same article that I linked above in the Mean Girls subtitle). If you are one of those people who think that Blade Runner has a lot of sequels and all, then, let me clarify this for you, it doesn’t.
The movies released after were just extended versions, director’s cuts, and the final cut. However, they do have short films and animated television series. Blade Runner has a huge cult following and was initially a failed movie. The movie was nominated for 23 awards and won 7 of them.
The story revolves around Rick Deckard who is a cop and is on a mission to hunt the advanced replicants that escaped from the space colonies of Tyrell Corporation (which is where they were working too). The movie is based in Los Angeles in 2019, which is future time the movie was released.
- Year: 1982
- Genre: Dystopian, Action, Sci-fi.
- Director: Ridley Scott.
- Cast: Joe Turkel, William Sanderson, Rutger Hauer, Hy Pyke, Harrison Ford, James Hong, Sean Young, Brion James, M. Emmert Walsh, Morgan Paull, Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hannah, Joanna Cassidy.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV.
16. Evil Dead
Okay, can we agree on the fact that Sam Raimi has mastered the horror genre of films and that Evil Dead is one of the greatest horror movies ever produced? We don’t know about you, but the numbers at the box office and the reviews in the magazines, newspapers, and on the website were pretty much pointing to that fact only. Evil Dead has had a cult following since the day of its release and received worldwide recognition for Raimi’s direction.
The film is also the directorial debut of Raimi who also has written the script. The story follows a group of friends who goes to a cabin in the isolated woods area where they found an audio tape.
Well, as of now, we know, if you find something suspicious, then, run for your life, but appranetly, those five friends didn’t know about this and they did the most unexpectly-expected thing. They played and yes, you guessed it right. It unleashed the demons, and four of them got possessed. The only one left, Ash Williams, now has to fight his way out.
Movies:
- The Evil Dead (1981).
- Evil Dead II (1987).
- Army of Darkness (1992).
- Evil Dead (2013).
- Evil Dead Rises (2023).
- Year: 1981
- Genre: Horror, Supernatural.
- Director: Sam Raimi
- Cast: Richard DeManincor, Ellen Sandweiss, Theresa Tilly, Bruce Campbell, Betsy Baker.
- Cameos: Robert G. Tapert, Sam Raimi, Bob Dorian.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV.
15. The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense is not only the best horror movie but is also a great psychological thriller. It was the second-highest-grossing movie at the time of its release and gained instant popularity mainly because of the unexpected ending it has. It was a commercial success and is praised for its storyline, narration, direction, and cast performance.
The story revolves around a child Psychologist, Malcolm Crowe, from Philadelphia, who is helping a boy named Cole Sear. Cole claims that he can talk and see ghosts. While helping Cole, Malcolm discovers the most unexpected truth about himself. The movie was nominated for 41 awards (including 6 nominations at Acamedy Awards 2000) and won 17 of them.
- Year: 1999
- Genre: Horror, Psychological, Thriller.
- Director: M. Night Shyamalan.
- Cast: Bruce Willis, Trevor Morgan, Olivia Williams, Jeffrey Zubernis, Haley Joel Osment, Angelica Page, Greg Wood, Toni Collette, Peter Tambakis, Donnie Wahlberg, Mischa Barton, Bruce Norris.
- Where to Watch: Hotstar, Apple TV.
14. Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody was a huge hit at the box office and was praised by audiences a lot especially because of Rami Malek’s performance as Freddie Mercury but critics were not that impressed with the movie and gave mixed reviews. They did praise Malek’s performance and the musical score of the movie but criticized it for Bryan Singer’s direction, and editing of the movie.
Nevertheless, the music album of the movie was a success in 2019. They also released a lot of never seen, never heard audios of the band’s original recordings, including five tracks from their 21-minute Live Aid performance from 1985.
The story is the biography of the musical rock band Queen formed by Freddie Mercury (lead singer), Brian May (lead guitarist), and Roger Taylor (drummer), and later joined by John Deacon (bass) in 1970 and followed their story till 1985.
The story shows the formation of the band and the struggles they faced in their personal and professional life. The movie also depicts Mercury’s love life and his journey to finding his sexuality and how his ego came in the way of their success.
The film was in development hell for years. Dexter Fletcher was appointed to finish the film when Bryan Singer was fired as the director because of his absence, especially in the last two weeks of the filming that is also why Dexter was not credited as the director of the film but as an executive producer instead.
The movie was also a gossip topic because of the inaccuracies. In spite of all this, Bohemian Rhapsody was nominated for 63 awards and won 22 of them.
- Year: 2018
- Genre: Musical, Drama, Biography.
- Directors: Bryan Singer and Dexter Fletcher.
- Cast: Rami Malek, Tom Hollander, Tim Plester, Lucy Boynton, Michelle Duncan, Aidan Gillen, Aaron McCusker, Priya Blackburn, Gwilym Lee, Mile Myers, Ben Hardy, Allen Leech, Joe Mazzelo, Meneka Das, Adam Lambert.
- Where to Watch: Netflix
13. The Prestige
Looking at the rest of the list, it may feel like I’m a Tarantino fan. I mean, I am, I love his movies but believe me, this right here is the reason why Nolan is my Favorite director of all time. He gave us Inception (2010), The Prestige (2006), The Dark Knight (2008), Dunkirk (2017), Interstellar (2014), Memento (2000), and more.
I wanted to include all these movies in this list but they were never really the failed movies that got appreciated later. They always had a huge cult following. The Prestige is one of the best psychological thrillers. This movie is one of the perfect examples of what it’s like to have the perfect narration is called.
Like me, many of you may not re-watch a psychological thriller or a movie with a twisted end, and all as the suspense and thriller of it gets over once you know the truth of it. But guys, you gotta believe me, this is a movie you will watch again because of the thrill it provides.
The movie is about two stage musicians who are rivals and are caught up in something bigger than just some stage tricks. They are having an argument over the trick of teleportation. The film was both a commercial and a critical hit. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Priest released in 1995.
- Year: 2006
- Genre: Psychological Thriller.
- Director: Christopher Nolan.
- Cast: Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Roger Rees, Piper Perabo, Russ Fega, W. Morgan Sheppard, Christian Bale, Ricky Jay, David Bowie, Daniel Davis, Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, Andy Serkis, Samantha Mahurin.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV.
Also Read: The Ending Of The Prestige Explained: Twisty Tale Of One-Upmanship
12. Django Unchained
Yup, Tarantino movie, and a good one at that. Django Unchained is written and directed by Quentin Tarantino and is a homage to the Spaghetti Westerns and the Italian film Django (1966) by Sergio Corbucci.
The film was an instant hit and was praised by critics for various aspects, especially for its direction and cast performance (I will talk about it later). Django Unchained was also a commercial hit. The story follows a black slave man who broke out of the slavery circle and trained under a German bounty hunter to rescue his wife who has been abducted by a highly-powerful plantation owner.
The movie was nominated for 100 awards and won 26 out of them including 5 nominations at Acamedy Awards in 2013 for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Christopher Waltz)-won, Best Original Screenplay (Quentin Tarantino)-won, Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing. Tarantino proposed to make a mini-series and use 90 minutes of unused material from the movie, but that didn’t happen, and we got a sequel of it, The Hateful Eight (2015).
Now, apart from facts and figures, Django Unchained made it to many Top 10 lists of 2012 and with so much success, so many portrayals come controversies. The usage of the word ‘nigger’ was appreciated by a few and some considered it inappropriate and provoking.
There were some historical inaccuracies too. Coming to cast performance, Christopher Waltz was really complimented for his portrayal of the character Dr. King Schultz. Also, in one scene DiCaprio cut his hand but he didn’t stop and enacted the scene with utmost grace.
During the final film edit, Tarantino kept the scene, and later, it was most of the most talked about scenes of the film. Franco Nero who played the titular role of Django in the 1966 Italian film also made a cameo in the movie.
- Year: 2012
- Genre: Western Drama.
- Director: Qunetin Tarantino
- Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Foxx, Don Johnson, Dennis Christopher, Christopher Waltz, Dana Gourrier, James Remar, Kerry Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, David Steen, Walton Goggins, Nichole Galicia, Miriam F. Glover, Franco Nero.
- Cameo: Jacky Ido, Michael Parks, John Jarratt, Quentin Tarantino, James Russo.
- Where to Watch: Netflix, Prime Video.
11. No Country for Old Men
No Country for Old Men is certainly the best screenplay and direction of the Coen brothers. Many added this movie to their Top 10 movies of all time. The movie was praised for its direction, narrative, screenplay, and cast performance (especially of Javier Bardem as the hitman).
The film follows a veteran of the Vietnam War who finds $2 million in the desert. He is trolled and persuaded by a hitman (who is also a psychotic killer) who is tasked to recover the money. On the other hand, Sherrif Ed Tom Bell is on his mission to stop this crime.
The movie was nominated for 110 awards in total and won 77 of them. It was nominated for 7 Academy Awards in 2008 and won 4 for Best Picture, Best Direction, Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem), and Best Adapted Screenplay. It also won 3 BAFTA Awards, 3 Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, 3 National Board of Review Awards, 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards, and more in 2007-12008.
- Year: 2007
- Genre: Crime, Thriller, Western.
- Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen.
- Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Garret Dilahunt, Ana Reeder, Kelly Macdonald, Rodger Boyce, Javier Bardem, Matt Geisler, Josh Brolin, Stephen Root, Woody Harrelson, Gene Jones, Barry Corbin, Garret Dillahunt, Tess Harper.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV.
10. Reservoir Dogs
Heya Tarantino. Reservoir Dogs is the debut feature film of Quentin Tarantino which he wrote and directed. How to know if it’s a Tarantino movie? Just look for some homages, crime, violence, narrative out of chronological order, pop culture references, and profanity, and there, you have a Quentin Tarantino movie.
We ain’t taunting him. We just decoded his directing style (which you all may have already known, insert eye-wink emote here) and we love it.
Reservoir Dogs is one of the Greatest Independent Films of all Time. The film has a lot of cursing and violent involvement and follows eight gangsters who use aliases for their names and are unaware of each other’s true identities.
They all plan a heist to steal diamonds, although the heist goes horribly wrong, and they are caught by the police. They were made believe by police that one of them is an undercover agent and this whole was a string operation against them. Although the film was not marketed that much, it did well at the box office and received praise from critics. It was nominated for 3 awards and won 2 of them.
- Year: 1992
- Genre: Crime, Drama
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Cast: Steve Buscemi, Edward Bunker, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Steven Wright, Lawrence Tierney, Tim Roth, David Steen, Michael Madsen, Randy Brooks, Chris Penn.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video.
9. Donnie Darko
Another guilty pleasure midnight movie, LOL! One of the movies with a huge cult following which was also a commercial and critical hit. Donnie Darko’s box office was affected due by the 9/11 attack on the USA which happened a few months before the release of the film but it did pretty well with that matter also.
In 2004, the director’s cut of the movie was released, and in 2009, a sequel, S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale, was also released. The story follows a teenage boy named Donnie Darko who sleepwalks and has a friend in a rabbit costume who only he can see. Donnie’s friend told him that the world will end in 28 days.
Although the first part was written and directed by Richard Kelly, he had no involvement in its sequel. As of 2021, Kelly is planning on a third part of the film as he was inspired by his conversation with James Cameron about how the film ended.
The music score of the movie was also a chartbuster. Donnie Darko had been nominated for 10 awards and won 4 of them. The movie has been included in many Greatest Movies of All Time lists.
- Year: 2001
- Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy, Psychological Thriller.
- Director: Richard Kelly.
- Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Alex Greenwald, Jazzie Mahannah, Arthur Taxier, Holmes Osborne, Jolene Purdy, Jena Malone, Daveigh Chase, Stuart Stone, Patrick Swayze, Mary McDonnell. Seth Rogen, David Moreland, James Duval, David St. James.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV.
8. RocknRolla
RocknRolla is a movie that was a huge box office success and is one of the best crime movies ever made. It’s a shame that we might not see its sequel anytime soon, but, never lose hope, my friends. Guy Ritchie had written the script for the second installment of the movie and doesn’t have any plan to bring it to the big screen anytime soon.
Rocknrolla is a crime movie where The Wild Bunch, a small gang, plans to steal €7,000,000 from Uri Omovich, who was using that money to bribe the Council so that he can get a fixed land deal with Lenny Cole, the boss of a real estate business in London.
- Year: 2008
- Genre: Action, Crime.
- Director: Guy Ritchie.
- Cast: Gerard Butler, Idris Elba, Ludarcis, Tom Wilkinson, Tom Hardy, Toby Kebbell, Thandiwe Newton, Jeremy Piven, Karel Roden, Mark Strong.
- Where to Watch: HBO Max, Vudu, Redbox., Apple TV, The Roku Channel, Prime Video.
7. Fight Club
Get ready to blow up your mind. Fight Club was a failure at first. It was poorly received by critics and was a box office bomb. Although after the home video release, it got the success it deserved and has been said to be the defining cult movie. It is the most talked about movie of 1999.
The studio was concerned about the success of the film and did put a restriction on David Fincher’s marketing campaign (they might have been regretting it now). If they had done the marketing campaign properly, maybe the movie would have been even more successful. Fight Club is the perfect example of art that was ahead of its time and the audience of that time couldn’t see the beauty through it.
Fight Club is more of a psychological thriller and is one of the early movies in that genre. It revolves around “The Narrator,” whose name has not been specified in the movie. He is an insomniac and attends support groups instead of therapies where he met Marla Singer.
One day, he meets Tyler Durden on a flight who is a soap salesman and eventually forms Fight Club with him. Tyler goes behind his back and forms a new organization for his Project Mayhem. During, the narrator’s struggle to stop Tyler, he found the truth about himself.
- Year: 1999
- Genre: Drama, Thriller.
- Director: David Fincher.
- Cast: Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Iacangelo, Brad Pitt, Holt McCallany, Brad Pitt, Thom Gosson Jr., Zach Grenier, Jared Leto, Meat Loaf.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV.
Also Read: Fight Club Ending Explained: Is Tyler Durden Alive?
6. Pulp Fiction
Yes, Tarantino. I know, but I told you, he is the king of from being giving cult classics to becoming one of the most acclaimed mainstream directors, and these movies are the reason why he is adored as a director so much.
We all can agree on the fact that the final product, Tarantino brings to the big screen through his absolutely marvelous direction skills is just impeccable. Pulp Fiction’s narrative is one of the best narratives you will ever see. Tarantino wrote the story and it happens out of chronological order (which is truly his specialty at this point in time, now), so, you had to stick to your screens till the end to see the things making sense.
Pulp Fiction is motivated by the Pulp Magazines which were published in 1896-1950 and the hardboiled crime novels of the mid-20th century. Pulp Fiction also incorporated some of the scenes from True Romance (1993), which was also written by Tarantino.
This movie is considered one of the best film products of Tarantino and is also one of the greatest films of all time. The storytelling, the screenplay, the narrative, the direction, the plot, the cast’s performance, the music score, everything is perfect, and you cannot find even a single flaw in them.
The story in the underworld of the Los Angeles where two mobsters, two small-time criminals, a boxer, and a gangster’s wife’s life gets entangled with each other and all this happens out of chronological order which is a sight for the sour eyes of the people who appreciate filmmaking as an art.
The film also has a touch of irony, humor, violence, self-reflexivity, pastiche, homage, and more which is just the cherry on the cake. There is also a title card at the start of the film, which surely indicates two meanings of the word ‘pulp’ in the film’s title. The film also features different perspectives of all characters making it notably eccentric.
The narrative structure is one of the most notable structures in film history and is studied by people and when we said that the film has a touch of homage, we actually meant that the film has a lot-lot-lot-lots of homage and is very much noticeable (only if you look closely).
That is what is Tarantino’s specialty, ain’t it? Making simpler things; something big, epic, and unexpected. The film was nominated for 51 awards out of which it won 23 including 7 nominations (winning 1 for Best Screenplay- Written Directly for the screen) at Academy Awards in 1995 for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and more.
- Year: 1994
- Genre: Crime, Drama
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Wills, Rosanna Arquette, John Travolta, Eric Stoltz, Harvey Keitel, Christopher Walken, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, Uma Thurman, Amanda Plummer, Maria de Medeiros.
- Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV.
5. Inglourious Basterds
How many Quentin Tarantino movies am I going to give you? In short, a lot. I know, this is not the Best Quentin Tarantino underrated movie of all time list, but it can be, right?! It’s cult movies we are talking about and if you also think about it, most of the movies are given by Tarantino only. This man had a vision for future movies.
If we think about war movies loosely based on reality, alternate history, or fiction with a touch of real historic events or just past war movies in general, I assure you, Dunkirk (2017), 1917 (2020), Saving Private Ryan (1998), and The Inglorious Bastards (1978) are the movie that comes to your mind without a second thought but what changed the course of war movies was Inglourious Basterds (2009) written and directed by Tarantino.
We all know Tarantino’s work by now, but at that time, this movie became his highest-grossing film and received a lot of praise for his direction. Although the scripting started in 1988, it was not completed till 2007-2008. The movie is a fictional alternate reality of the end of Nazi Germany. The plot follows groups and people working in their own ways to put an end to the war and Nazis and German Soldiers with their own agenda.
Inglourious Basterds claimed its place in many Top 10 lists and was nominated for 102 awards and won 49 of them, including Best Supporting Actor (Christopher Waltz) at the Academy Awards in 2010.
A lot of praise and awards were written in the name of Christopher Waltz, but you might not know that Christopher was not the first choice of Tarantino to play the role of Hans Landa. It was Leonardo DiCaprio, but then it was decided that the role should be played by a native German-speaking actor.
- Year: 2009
- Genre: War.
- Director: Quentin Tarantino.
- Cast: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Christopher Waltz, Til Schweiger, Melanie Laurent, Eli Roth, Omar Doom, Mike Lyers, Michael Fassbender, Jacky Ido, Daniel Bruhl, Alexander Fehling, Richard Sammel. Tina Rodriguez.
- Cameo: Eno G. Castellari, Bo Svenson, Quentin Tarantino.
- Narrated: Samuel L. Jackson.
- Where to Watch: Netflix.
4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the longest-running theatrical released film in history. It is the greatest musical film of all time and has a huge international cult following.
The movie was not successful at the time of its release and was heavily criticized but soon it became one of the most-watched midnight movies in 1976 and the audience returned to watch the movie on the big screen. This movie is one of the Halloween movies that I personally watch every year too.
The movie had a huge success and people started to make lip-syncing videos, dressed as the characters. The costumes were a major part of the film and they changed Punk fashion forever.
The story is based on the stage musical The Rocky Horror Show by Richard O’Brien released in 1973. Richard O’Brien also wrote the screenplay of the movie and is also a cast member. This movie/musical was his tribute to sci-fi B movies of the 1930-the 1960s.
The story revolves around a newly engaged couple whose car broke down on a heavy rainy day near a castle. They went to seek a telephone call in the castle and had to stay a night there.
Their life changed when they started seeing unusual things in the castle. Later, they got to know that the castle owner was actually a mad scientist who, in turn, is an alien transvestite from the planet Transsexual in the Transylvanian galaxy.
- Year: 1975
- Genre: Horror, Musical, Comedy.
- Director: Jim Sharman
- Cast: Tim Curry, Jonathan Adams, Richard O’Brien, Charles Gray, Susan Sarandon, Little Nell, Meat Loaf, Barry Bostwick, Peter Hinwood, Patricia Quinn.
- Where to Watch: Vudu, Apple TV, Prime Video.
3. Star Wars: Episode VII- The Force Awakens
Although The Empire Strikes Back (1980) is considered the best Star Wars movie, we say The Force Awakens has the most cult following. Empire Strikes Back is the highest-grossing film in the Star Wars franchise and was most notable of the unexcepted end, but The Force Awakens is nothing behind too.
Star Wars in general, as a movie series is a big name itself. It is the most expensive, most dynamic, most profound movie series ever made. It is the greatest epic space opera cult movie ever. Coming back to The Force Awakens, it’s the first movie of the sequel trilogy and the seventh movie in chronological order of the Skywalker Saga. It was a commercial and critical hit.
The movie was nominated for 103 movies and won 40 out of them. The movie didn’t receive any Academy Awards but was nominated for 5 of them Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.
So, the movie is set 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi. Return of the Jedi was released in 1983 as part of the original trilogy. The movie follows the Resistance’s (Rey, Han Solo, Poe Dameron, and Finn) search for Luke Skywalker (the last Jedi) to stop and defeat the First Order.
Movies in chronological order (not in the order of the year they were leased as Star Wars was released out of chronological order):
- Episode I- The Phantom Menace (1999).
- Episode II- Attacks of the Clones (2002).
- Episode III- Revenge of the Sith (2005).
- Episode IV- A New Hope (1977).
- Episode V- Empire Strikes Back (1980).
- Episode VI- Return of the Jedi (1983).
- Episode VII- The Force Awakens (2015).
- Episode VIII- The Last Jedi (2017).
- Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
- Year: 2015
- Genre: Space Opera, Epic, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Adventure.
- Director: J. J. Abrams.
- Cast: Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew, Daisy Ridley, Lupita Nyong’o, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Issac, Max von Sydow, Harrison Ford, Andy Serkis, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Anthony Daniels.
- Where to Watch: Apple TV, Hotstar.
Also Read: Who Is The Richest Star Wars Actor?
2. The Usual Suspects
This is definitely my favorite all-time cult movie. It’s perfect for those slow midnights as it will be complimentary to the slow pacing of the movie. The new-age audience may might the movie a bit boring and slow-paced at first, but believe me, guys. It’s all worth it in the end.
The twisted end of the movie is the most mind-blowing aspect of the film. You gotta stick to your screen and trust me, even after knowing the whole story, you will definitely watch it because of the thrill this movie provides you.
The Usual Suspects have a lot of improvised scenes, especially where the story began, the routine police line-up of five criminals. The scene is so flawless and accurate that if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t have known that it was an improvised scene. The movie is shown in flashbacks of Roger Kint when he is telling the story after the line-up and how they all ended up in the boat of the crime lord Keyser Soze.
The name of the movie was taken from the dialogue of the film Casablanca, released in 1942, which was also used in the column of Spy magazine. The movie was a commercial hit and developed a huge cult following through the years.
It was nominated for 54 awards and won 35 with three runner-ups, one 10th place, and one 8th place. Most of the awards were written in the name of Kevin Spacey for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor (including Acamedy Award). Others were for Christopher McQuarrie (for the screenplay), Bryan Singer (Debut Director), and more.
- Year: 1995
- Genre: Thriller, Crime, Mystery.
- Director: Bryan Singer.
- Cast: Kevin Spacey, Benicio del Toro, Peter Greene, Stephen Baldwin, Giancarlo Esposito, Gabriel Bryne, Dan Hedaya, Chazz Palminteri, Suzy Amis, Kevin Pollak, Scott B. Morgan, Castulo Guerra, Pete Postlethwaite.
- Where to Watch: Netflix.
1. The Shawshank Redemption
Again, this is the movie if you love twisted unexpected mind-blowing not-seen-coming endings. It’s always the end that makes it worth it, right?! It’s always the slow-paced movies that put you in deep thoughts about existence and life.
This movie will make up sad and happy at the same time. Well, it’s definitely a disappointment that it didn’t get the recognition it deserved at the time of its release, but it’s better late than never.
There were reasons why The Shawshank Redemption was popular and not a commercial success at first. The first was the confusing name. The second was the lack of a female cast. The third was the concept of the film being prison oriented.
The movie was released in 1994, the same year we got Pulp Fiction, and Forrest Gump which also contributed to the fact that The Shawshank Redemption was a box office bomb but the movie sold a lot of VHS and through word of mouth, it got the popularity it deserved and was re-released and was constantly showed on TV making it one of the most beloved and inspirational movies ever made and had a huge cult following.
The Shawshank Redemption is based on Stephen King’s novella Rita Hayworth, and Shawshank Redemption was released in 1982. Frank Darabont wrote the screenplay and directed the film. This movie gave major limelight to Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. The film was nominated for 15 awards (including seven at Academy Awards 1995 for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Sound, Best Adapted Screenplay, and more) and won 1.
The story follows a banker who is sentenced to life imprisonment as he murders his wife and her lover. Although, he swears that he is innocent. During his time in prison, his fellow prisoners, security guards, and warden formed a relationship with him.
He was nice and helped everyone. Everyone believed in him, and he bought significant changes to the prison. The story takes place when all those 20 years in his prison, he was planning an escape. Well, if I say anything further, then it will be a spoiler. Please, go and watch it.
- Year: 1994
- Genre: Drama, Crime.
- Director: Frank Darabont.
- Cast: Morgan Freeman, James Whitmore, Tim Robbins, Clancy Brown, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Mark Roston.
- Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV.
Also read: 50 Best Classic Horror Movies You Will Regret Watching Alone
