Must-See Movies By Genre, Decade And Language

What makes a great movie? Iconic actors? Great directors? Or is it something harder to define? The best movies come from all different film genres, countries and decades. It can be challenging to know where to find the greatest movies. Thankfully, this article breaks down movies by genre, industry and date so you can start checking films off your list of “movies everyone should see”. The best films connect with their audience whether you are looking for a 1970s Hollywood comedy or a 2000s Korean neo-noir movie. No matter what you are looking for, this list has you covered.

Top Movie Genres

There are hundreds of film genres. However, some of the most popular are action, comedy and drama. Each genre comes with a sub-genres. For example, even in comedy there is slapstick, satire, rom-com and many more. Genre helps us understand and categorize films, but some of the best movies break the mold and combine multiple genres.

Action Movies

Get ready for stunts and explosions with the best action movies of all time. There isn’t a great definition for what makes a movie an action movie. However, most prominently feature action scenes and set pieces, including fight choreography, chase sequences, and shootouts. While action movies have existed since the silent era, the modern genre arose in the 1960s and 1970s, with the most modern version of the genre fully establishing itself in the 1980s. From Arnold Schwarzenegger to Keanu Reeves, action stars have become icons of the genre. Notable on our list entries include:

• The Matrix (1999)
• Die Hard (1988)
• Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

Animated Movies

The best animated movies range from traditionally drawn Disney princesses to stop-motion animation to CGI Pixar movies. However, all of them bring the viewer into new and exciting worlds. The genre of animation is, in many ways, as old as film itself. The first animated films were made during the silent period, and the first feature-length animated film, El Apóstol, was released in 1917. Over 100 years later, animation still delights adults and children alike. Notable entries on our list include:

• Spirited Away (2001)
• Coco (2017)
• The Iron Giant (1999)

Anime Movies

Anime movies are a sub-genre of animated films, specifically ones that come from Japan. There are many kinds of anime, but generally they tend to be less specifically for kids than their American counterparts. Many of the best anime films come from studios like Studio Ghibli, Madhouse, Toei Animation and CoMix Wave Films. Studio Ghibli and its co-founder, Hayao Miyazaki, have especially found success abroad. Notable entries on our list include:

• Akira (1988)
• Princess Mononoke (1997)
• Your Name (2016)

Comedy Movies

The best comedy films ensure big laughs. While the comedy genre often overlaps with other genres like adventure, romance or even drama, pure comedies often center on parody, farce or slapstick. From directors like Adam McKay and Mel Brooks to actors like Robin Williams, Maya Rudolph and beyond, funny people make great movies. Comedy has become a favorite genre for many because who couldn’t use a laugh? Notable entries on our list include:

• It Happened One Night (1934)
• Airplane! (1980)
• Friday (1995)

Cult Classic Movies

Cult classic is a hard genre to define. It is more of a feeling. It’s going to a midnight movie. It is loving a box office flop. The best cult films are defined by their audience’s love and devotion, even if cult films definitionally do poorly with critics and/or the box office during their first runs. Cult films can come from all genres, but sci-fi, comedy and horror are usually overrepresented. From Ed Wood to John Waters to Elvira, notable entries on our list include:

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
• Evil Dead II (1987)
• Office Space (1999)

Drama Movies

Drama films are usually seen as the most prestigious genre. They often dominate at award shows like the Oscars and festivals like Cannes. Dramas tell serious and emotional stories; the best ones tell them with great acting, beautiful cinematography and solid scripts. While drama is an expansive category that can overlap with many other genres, they all tell important and impactful stories. Notable entries on our list include:

• 12 Angry Men (1957)
• In the Mood For Love (2000)
• Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Disaster Movies

The best disaster movies can be about volcanoes, tornadoes or earthquakes. However, all disaster movies prominently feature hopeful survivors as they traverse the impossible. Many think these types of films are low quality or “kind of dumb,” but there is so much to love about disaster movies. Some of these films are goofy, like Sharknado, while others are Oscar winners like Titanic. All of them feature impressive effects, sets and stakes. Notable entries on our list include:

• Miracle Mile (1988)
• The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
• Twister (1996)

Documentary Movies

Documentary films capture real life. This unscripted genre is all about telling authentic stories about remarkable and interesting real people or groups. Many of the first films would be considered documentaries, and the genre has only grown since the inception of cinema. While documentaries seek to capture real life, their narratives are shaped by directors like Barbara Kopple, Werner Herzog and Michael Moore. Notable entries on our list include:

• Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
• ​​Paris is Burning (1990)
• Bowling for Columbine (2002)

Family Movies

The best family movies aren’t just for children; they are for parents and beyond. Family films are just that, films made to be watched by the whole family. This usually means they carry G or PG ratings and feature positive themes. They are often feel-good films that are cozy and light. Coming-of-age stories are also very popular in this genre. While studios like Disney have become synonymous with family films, these movies come from many different markets and studios. Notable entries on our list include:

• The Princess Bride (1987)
• E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
• Spy Kids (2001)

Fantasy Movies

Fantasy movies share a lot of similarities with sci-fi films. However, instead of focusing on space and technology, they bring the viewer into imagined worlds or the past, where power comes from magic. These films also prominently feature fantastic themes and elements such as magic, beasts or dark forces. Directors like Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam, Jim Henson, George Lucas and Guillermo Del Toro have become icons of this genre with amazing effects and nostalgic stories. Notable entries on our list include:

• Labyrinth (1986)
• Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Film Noir Movies

Dark, suspenseful and twisting detective and crime stories are at the heart of the Film Noir genre. French critic Nino Frank coined the term “film noir” in the mid-1940s; however, the industry didn’t adopt the term until later. Film noir saw its peak in the 1940s and 1950s, but the related genre of Neo-noir started to emerge in the 1970s. With actors like Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Robert Mitchum​​ and Gene Tierney noir films pack a punch when it comes to acting. Add beautiful black and white cinematography influenced with German Expressionism and Film Noir is a stylish and slick genre. Notable entries on our list include:

• Sunset Boulevard (1950)
• Laura (1944)
• Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950)

Horror Movies

There are many different kinds of horror movies. The genre includes slasher movies, Monster movies, body horror and supernatural horrors. Even in the categories of monster movies, there are vampire films, zombie movies, alien flicks and more. In such a varied genre, one important factor connects horror movies: they have to be scary. Whether it is through ambiance, jump scares or gore, the best horror films make your skin crawl. From Wes Craven to Alfred Hitchcock, notable films in the genre include:

• Halloween (1978)
• Night of the Living Dead (1968)
• Alien (1979)

Martial Arts Movies

Martial arts films are all about combat. In this sub-genre of action film, martial artists and actors perform amazing stunts and fight choreography to electrify the audience. This genre showcases fighting techniques such as Kung Fu, Karate and Muay Thai. The martial arts genre also sometimes includes samurai movies as a subcategory. While many think of Hong Kong when they think of martial arts films, these films not only come from all over Asia, but also from all over the world. Martial arts films are often made by their stars, who usually both act and do stunts. Performers Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Tony Jaa, Sammo Hung, Bruce Lee, Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh have made this genre what it is. Notable entries on our list include:

• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
• Police Story (1985)
• The Raid (2011)

Musical Movies

Movie musicals capture the excitement, pageantry and artistry of Broadway and the West End. While many movie musicals are based on plays, some of the best are wholly original. From Technicolor classics by Judy Garland and Vincente Minelli to darker adaptations from Bob Fosse, musicals can take all shapes (as long as the songs are great). Musicals are all about the performances, from singing to acting to dancing. Notable entries on our list include:

• The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
• The Wizard of Oz (1939)
• Grease (1978)

Mystery Movies

Mystery movies let the audience be the detective. Filled with twists and turns, these films keep the audience guessing until the final moments. Many of the first mystery films were based on books by authors like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and movies are still adapted from mystery novels by Agatha Christie and Gillian Flynn. Most mystery films revolve around a crime that needs to be solved and often feature PIs, detectives or family members of the victim who are on the hunt to put the puzzle pieces together. Notable entries on our list include:

• The Third Man (1949)
• Mulholland Drive (2001)
• Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Romance Movies

Romantic movies will make you feel the love. While romance films are sometimes considered ‘just chick flicks,’ the genre includes beautiful and profound meditations on love, loss and what it means to be human. Romantic movies often overlap with the drama genre as well as the comedy genre in the form of rom-coms. However, other romances overlap with more unique genres, such as time travel movies and Shakespeare adaptations. And, yes, this genre also includes most Hallmark movies. Notable entries on our list of romance films include:

• Pride and Prejudice (2005)
• Roman Holiday (1953)
• God’s Own Country (2017)

Science Fiction Movies

Sci-fi movies transport audiences to outer space or into the future. Whereas fantasy movies create new worlds through magic, science fiction films do it through technology. Distant galaxies, the latest technology, aliens and robots are all mainstays of this space age genre. With behemoth franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek, this genre has been a favorite of many (even if some used to call them geeks). While it might seem like a new genre, Sci-Fi films have existed since at least the 1910s. Notable entries on our list include:

• 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
• The Matrix (1999)
• Terminator 2 (1991)

Sports Movies

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat: the best sports movies capture this feeling perfectly. Sports films are simply films about sports. Many great films follow athletes from sports like football, baseball, soccer and hockey. However, they are not alone from the Olympics to boxing to skiing, if it’s a sport, there is probably a movie about it. Arguably, most racing and driving movies even fall into this category. Many sports movies are based on true stories and feel deeply inspirational. Notable entries on our list include:

• Creed (2015)
• Bull Durham (1988)
• Bend It Like Beckham (2002)

Superhero Movies

Superhero movies have dominated the box office over the last 15 years. The second highest-grossing film ever is currently Avengers: Endgame, and it doesn’t stop there. However, this wasn’t always true. It took superhero films many years to be seen as hits, and they still aren’t always considered cinema. Films about heroes like Batman, Spider-Man, the X-Men and even Thor have turned into mega blockbusters (even if there might be some recent superhero fatigue). From the DCEU to Marvel, notable entries on our list include:

• Black Panther (2018)
• Superman: The Movie (1978)
• Logan (2017)

War Movies

War is hell, but war movies can help audiences understand sacrifices and history. Generally, war films are based on true stories or at least on real wars. War movies usually follow soldiers and fighters in historical battles and situations. This genre is often gritty, upsetting and bloody. However, for fans, it is also emotionally resonant. Some directors behind famous war movies, such as Clint Eastwood, William Wyler and John Ford, even served in the military themselves. Notable entries on our list include:

• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• Apocalypse Now (1979)
• The Great Dictator (1940)

Western Movies

Western movies aren’t as big of a genre as they used to be. Westerns have existed since the silent era and are sometimes still made today; however, the genre peaked between 1945 and 1965. Westerns usually tell stories from the 1840s to 1890s and are always set in the the Western United States. Notably, not all Westerns are American movies. The Spaghetti Western is an important sub-genre led by Italian directors like Sergio Leone. Notable Westerns on our list include:

• Johnny Guitar (1954)
• The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
• No Country for Old Men (2007)

Top Foreign (Language) Films, By Country

Foreign films can feel just that, foreign, but as Bong Joon Ho once said, “Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.” There are huge film industries in countries like Japan, India and China. Not all foreign films are in languages that aren’t English. However, the vast majority are, so, English speakers, get ready to overcome the subtitle barrier.

Chinese Cinema

Chinese cinema isn’t just films from Mainland China. Usually, it is used as a catch-all term for films made in Chinese languages. The large majority of these films are made in Hong Kong, Mainland China or Taiwan. Notable entries on our list include:

• Dragon Inn (1967)
• Spring in a Small Town (1948)
• A Better Tomorrow (1986)

French Cinema

French cinema is internationally known for its artistic contributions and chic aesthetic. France has a historic film industry that has produced some of the greatest directors of all time, like Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut and Agnès Varda. French film is somewhat synonymous with the French New Wave Movement; however, there is so much more to love about French cinema. Notable entries on our list include:

• Rififi (1955)
• Le Samouraï (1967)
• Cléo From 5 to 7 (1962)

Hindi Cinema

Hindi movies, also often colloquially called Bollywood Cinema, are films from India, specifically those released in Hindi. These films are frequently produced in Mumbai (formerly Bombay, thus the Bollywood portmanteau). India is easily one of the biggest film industries in the world, and Hindi films are a large part of the industry (India also produces many Telugu and Tamil films, among others). From actors like Shah Rukh Khan to Amitabh Bachchan, notable entries on our list include:

• Haider (2014)
• Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977)
• Mother India (1957)

Irish Cinema

Irish films are often not “foreign language films.” While some notable films are in the Irish language, due to colonization by the British, the majority of films made in Ireland are in English. Irish films can be hard to categorize. Some are made in England and Northern Ireland. Many films are international co-productions. However, Irish films generally tell Irish stories. Many are based on history or show Irish culture. Irish films are often elevated by excellent acting from stars like Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Cillian Murphy. Notable entries on our list include:

• In The Name of the Father (1993)
• The Secret of Kells (2009)
• The Quiet Girl (2022)

Italian Cinema

Italian films drip style. From sexy 1960s films by Federico Fellini to the neorealist works of Roberto Rossellini, Italian cinema is a paradise for film fans. Italy has contributed several film movements and styles to film history, including horrifying Giallo films and continent-spanning Spaghetti Westerns. While earlier Italian films often used actors with little to no experience in the neorealist period, iconic actors like Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni come from the Italian cinema. Notable entries on our list include:

• Once Upon A Time in the West (1968)
• 8 ½ (1963)
• Suspiria (1977)

Japanese Cinema

The Japanese film industry is one of the oldest in the world. Japan has become known for Godzilla movies, samurai films and anime, but there is also so much more in the history of Japanese cinema. Japan’s industry has boasted notable directors like Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki and the legendary Akira Kurosawa. Notable entries on our list include:

• Ugetsu (1953)
• Ikiru (1952)
• Harakiri (1962)

Korean Cinema

Usually, Korean cinema refers primarily to movies produced in South Korea (and not films produced in North Korea). South Korean films have risen to prominence in recent years, but Korean Cinema has been growing since after the end of Japanese occupation in the 1950s. Directors like Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho and Lee Chang-dong have put Korean Cinema on the map with beautiful and affecting films. Notable entries on our list include:

• The Handmaiden (2016)
• The Housemaid (1960)
• Memories of Murder (2003)

Top Movies Across The Decades

Film started as a scientific pursuit. Inventors sought to make pictures move. In the late 1800s, filmmakers began capturing scenes both real and imagined, and by the early 1900s, film had become an art form. However, science is never far from cinema. Over the decades, inventors have added sound, color, CGI and more to create complicated and impressive films. The best films both feel timeless and still reflect the historical moment in which they were made.

1920’s Movies (The Silent Film Era)

Silent films started to be made in the late 1800s; however, many early films don’t really feel like “movies.” The first “feature-length” film, The Story of the Kelly Gang, was released in 1906, ushering in a more recognizable era of cinema. The silent era rose to a fever pitch by the 1910s, and by the late 1920s, sound began to threaten a thriving industry. Many think sound films actually set the quality of cinema back. Silent directors like Cecil B. DeMille and F.W. Murnau and actors like Charlie Chaplin and Lillian Gish made far more technically advanced films than their sound counterparts. Sound also limited the reach of international films in new ways. While silent films can be hard to access, they are well worth the effort even for modern audiences. Notable entries on our list include:

• Metropolis (1927)
• Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
• The Gold Rush (1925)

1960’s Movies

The best 1960’s movies capture the feeling of the era. By the 1960s, the movie industry was booming; not only in Hollywood but internationally. Films from this era were influenced by everything from changing politics to advances in film, such as color. Some of the most notable directors made iconic films in the 1960s, including Satyajit Ray, Federico Fellini, Akira Kurosawa, Jean-Luc Godard, Sidney Lumet and Stanley Kubrick. Notable entries on our list include:

• The Apartment (1960)
• From Russia with Love (1963)
• In the Heat of the Night (1967)

1970’s Movies

The 1970s are a crucial decade in the history of filmmaking. Directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Dario Argento, Chantal Akerman and Jean Rollin brought art and grit to theaters. It’s the decade that introduced audiences to blockbusters and shark movies. The 70s also saw epic editions to the genre of organized crime films and film soundtracks. Notable entries on our list include:

• Jaws (1975)
• Star Wars (1977)
• Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

1980’s Movies

Radical! The 1980s were, in many ways, a time of excess and the movies made in the decade reflect that. Wacky comedies, John Hughes’ Teen movies, horror films, there is something larger than life about ’80s movies. Between Steven Spielberg, top Black films and the Brat Pack, the best ’80s movies often feel like nostalgic fun. However, others tell meaningful stories. Notable entries on our list include:

• E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
• Do the Right Thing (1989)
• The Breakfast Club (1985)

1990’s Movies

1990s movies aren’t radically different from the movies made today, but there is something deeply nostalgic about many films of the 1990s, especially for millennials. Yes, the effects are better now, but the 1990s delivered some fantastic films that still feel current 30 years later. Notable entries on our list include:

• Boyz n the Hood (1991)
• Jurassic Park (1993)
• ​​Schindler’s List (1993)

Popular Film Series

Once they make one good film, they tend to remake it again and again. However, that isn’t always a bad thing, especially when the film is part of an amazing series. While movie sequels and even trilogies can be original, many of them are based on other media such as books or video games. From LOTR Movies and the Hunger Games to King Kong and Pirates Of The Caribbean, to even Twilight Movies and Harry Potter, audiences love a great film series.

More Must-Watch Movie Types

There are so many different kinds of movies. Whether you are looking for winter watches or spring movies, we have you covered. We even have lists of animal and dog lovers. What have we missed?

Bottom Line

These movies could last almost a lifetime. However, we publish new lists all the time, so make sure to keep up with us!