The motion-picture industry churns out hundreds of major movies every year. The high-water mark this century was 873 in 2018. With this volume being released, even the most zealous cinephiles can overlook worthwhile films, some of them the work of Hollywood acting and directing legends.
To determine the 50 best movies you’ve probably never seen, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of early October 2023, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with between 10,000 and 50,000 audience reviews on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes, and ruled out documentaries. Directorial credits are from IMDb.
Among the motion pictures on our list are 13 films that have earned a perfect 100 score on Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer. These films run the gamut — horror, comedy, Westerns, drama, and even animation. (Here’s a list of the best Westerns you probably haven’t seen.)
Woody Allen starred in and directed two of these movies — “Zelig” and “Love and Death.” William Wyler, in the pantheon of Hollywood’s greatest directors, helmed two motion pictures that got 100 scores from Rotten Tomatoes — “How to Steal a Million” and “The Big Country.”
Other notable filmmakers represented include John Huston, Howard Hawks, Sidney Lumet, Billy Wilder, Elia Kazan, Arthur Penn, Peter Bogdanovich, Fritz Lang, and Charles Chaplin. (These are Charlie Chaplin’s best and worst movies.)
Among the foreign films with perfect scores were the Japanese movies “The Tale of The Princess Kaguya,” directed by Isao Takahata, and “Tampopo,” from Jûzô Itami.
Celluloid icons Spencer Tracy, Ernest Borgnine, and Michael Caine appear in two movies each on our list, as do the husband-and-wife team of Gena Rowlands and John Cassavettes. Among the Oscar-winners gracing our list are “Babette’s Feast,” “Days of Wine and Roses,” “The Last Picture Show,” and “Marty.”
Scroll below for a list of the 50 best movies you’ve probably never seen.
50. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (10,517 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (3,235 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (28 reviews)
- Directed by: Paul Schrader
49. Europa Europa (1991)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (17,028 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (6,942 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (21 reviews)
- Directed by: Agnieszka Holland
48. Withnail & I (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Cineplex Odeon Films
Source: Courtesy of Cineplex Odeon Films
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (44,055 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (25,000 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (37 reviews)
- Directed by: Bruce Robinson
47. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
Source: Courtesy of Fine Line Features
Source: Courtesy of Fine Line Features
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (34,486 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (49,745 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (117 reviews)
- Directed by: John Cameron Mitchell
46. Marty (1955)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (23,015 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (6,787 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (42 reviews)
- Directed by: Delbert Mann
45. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (20,596 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (5,853 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (31 reviews)
- Directed by: John Sturges
44. Weathering with You (2019)
Source: Courtesy of GKIDS
Source: Courtesy of GKIDS
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (30,999 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (247 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (95 reviews)
- Directed by: Makoto Shinkai
43. One Cut of the Dead (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Shudder
Source: Courtesy of Shudder
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (24,132 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (500 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (95 reviews)
- Directed by: Shinichirou Ueda
42. El Dorado (1966)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (25,687 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (12,709 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (23 reviews)
- Directed by: Howard Hawks
41. Farewell My Concubine (1993)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (31,292 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (16,135 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (42 reviews)
- Directed by: Kaige Chen
40. How to Steal a Million (1966)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (26,278 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (10,961 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (8 reviews)
- Directed by: William Wyler
39. A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
Source: Courtesy of Faces International
Source: Courtesy of Faces International
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (23,726 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (8,243 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (31 reviews)
- Directed by: John Cassavetes
38. Fail Safe (1964)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (21,121 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (7,162 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (27 reviews)
- Directed by: Sidney Lumet
37. Zelig (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (41,114 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (18,465 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (27 reviews)
- Directed by: Woody Allen
36. Kolya (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (15,962 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (6,718 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (25 reviews)
- Directed by: Jan Sverák
35. The Color of Paradise (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (17,842 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (5,794 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (31 reviews)
- Directed by: Majid Majidi
34. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (28,840 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (9,478 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (42 reviews)
- Directed by: Joseph Sargent
33. Inherit the Wind (1960)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (30,791 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (9,656 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (26 reviews)
- Directed by: Stanley Kramer
32. A Face in the Crowd (1957)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (14,899 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (5,039 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (33 reviews)
- Directed by: Elia Kazan
31. Wait Until Dark (1967)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros./Seven Arts
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros./Seven Arts
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (29,189 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (17,112 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (23 reviews)
- Directed by: Terence Young
30. The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
Source: Courtesy of Allied Artists Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Allied Artists Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (47,055 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (16,059 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (31 reviews)
- Directed by: John Huston
29. Auntie Mame (1958)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (10,859 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (8,245 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (15 reviews)
- Directed by: Morton DaCosta
28. Ernest & Celestine (2012)
Source: Courtesy of GKIDS
N/A
Source: Courtesy of GKIDS
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (19,580 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (7,731 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (81 reviews)
- Directed by: Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar, Stéphane Aubier
27. Ace in the Hole (1951)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (33,886 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (6,223 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (38 reviews)
- Directed by: Billy Wilder
26. The Miracle Worker (1962)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (19,187 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (8,844 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (25 reviews)
- Directed by: Arthur Penn
25. My Life as a Zucchini (2016)
Source: Courtesy of GKIDS
Source: Courtesy of GKIDS
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (23,440 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (6,575 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (137 reviews)
- Directed by: Claude Barras
24. Babette’s Feast (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (20,191 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (5,000 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (34 reviews)
- Directed by: Gabriel Axel
23. A Taxi Driver (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment
Source: Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (28,194 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (1,652 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (28 reviews)
- Directed by: Hun Jang
22. Opening Night (1977)
Source: Courtesy of Faces Distribution
Source: Courtesy of Faces Distribution
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (10,093 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (4,369 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (27 reviews)
- Directed by: John Cassavetes
21. Love and Death (1975)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (37,440 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (19,082 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (21 reviews)
- Directed by: Woody Allen
20. Once Were Warriors (1995)
Source: Courtesy of Fine Line Features
Source: Courtesy of Fine Line Features
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (35,833 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (29,728 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (46 reviews)
- Directed by: Lee Tamahori
19. Sleuth (1972)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (46,421 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (9,451 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (25 reviews)
- Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
18. Secrets & Lies (1996)
Source: Courtesy of October Films
Source: Courtesy of October Films
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (45,526 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (11,346 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (45 reviews)
- Directed by: Mike Leigh
17. The Killer (1989)
Source: Getty Images / Archive Photos via Getty Images
Source: Vinnie Zuffante / Archive Photos via Getty Images
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (48,969 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (25,000 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (41 reviews)
- Directed by: John Woo
16. Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (12,179 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (2,569 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (14 reviews)
- Directed by: Blake Edwards
15. Limelight (1952)
Source: Hulton Archive / Moviepix via Getty Images
Source: Hulton Archive / Moviepix via Getty Images
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (19,395 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (7,303 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (35 reviews)
- Directed by: Charles Chaplin
14. Paper Moon (1973)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (44,587 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (11,421 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (41 reviews)
- Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich
13. Z (1969)
Source: Courtesy of Cinema V
Source: Courtesy of Cinema V
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (30,319 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (6,578 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Costa-Gavras
12. The Big Country (1958)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (16,962 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (5,532 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (11 reviews)
- Directed by: William Wyler
11. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (47,356 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (4,853 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (37 reviews)
- Directed by: Richard Brooks
10. Central Station (1998)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (41,163 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (13,643 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Walter Salles
9. Yi Yi: A One and a Two (2000)
Source: Courtesy of WinStar Cinema
N/A
Source: Courtesy of WinStar Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (26,769 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (7,700 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (87 reviews)
- Directed by: Edward Yang
8. The Court Jester (1955)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (12,327 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (9,213 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (30 reviews)
- Directed by: Norman Panama, Melvin Frank
7. The Big Heat (1953)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (25,267 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (5,985 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (32 reviews)
- Directed by: Fritz Lang
6. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (30,043 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (6,974 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (53 reviews)
- Directed by: Alexander Mackendrick
5. The Last Picture Show (1971)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (45,056 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (14,197 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (58 reviews)
- Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich
4. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
Source: Courtesy of Bir Film
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Bir Film
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (42,434 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (14,047 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (96 reviews)
- Directed by: Isao Takahata
3. Tampopo (1985)
Source: Courtesy of New Yorker Films
Source: Courtesy of New Yorker Films
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (19,034 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (5,000 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (56 reviews)
- Directed by: Jûzô Itami
2. Raise the Red Lantern (1992)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (34,222 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (22,285 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (29 reviews)
- Directed by: Yimou Zhang
1. It’s Such a Beautiful Day (2012)
Source: Courtesy of Cinemad Presents
Source: Courtesy of Cinemad Presents
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (12,509 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (1,442 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (32 reviews)
- Directed by: Don Hertzfeldt