We are now at the top 40, to some of my absolute favorite films of all time. Just a reminder – these are not supposed to be the best movies I’ve ever seen; this list is specifically my favorites.
#40 – Dune Part II
It was not fair to rank this one due to recency bias – I do think it has fallen since I watched it. But it still is an incredible movie – it has excellent visuals and adapts the story in an interesting way. I do have some sincere issues with some of the choices made, which are why this likely would fall on a rerank.
#39 – Memento
Memento is a Christopher Nolan film, and one of his best. The storytelling is done in a unique way, and keeps the viewer on the edge of his or her seat. I won’t say much more about this film, only that it would be much, much higher if it weren’t for some for some excessive swearing throughout.
#38 – La La Land
La La Land has a fantastic soundtrack, an engaging story, and a resolution that makes you think. Again, I won’t say much more about this movie for fear of spoiling it! It is an excellent film, and a masterclass in storytelling.
#37 – Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
This MIGHT be the hottest take on this list. Well, second hottest take. The third Pirates film gets a lot of deserved flack. Its story is overly complicated, its plot line incredibly outlandish, and its developments out of left field. In a “Best Movies of All Time List” this one is MUCH lower. But I love it. I love convoluted plots and left-field writing choices. This one isn’t for everyone, but it was tailor-made for a viewer like me!
#36 – The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo is a satisfying movie. Every time I watch it I love it more, and it might even rise in this list after another viewing. It is well-cast, well-acted, and adapts a legendary story with flourish. This is a fantastic movie everyone should watch at least once.
#35 – How to Train Your Dragon
How to Train Your Dragon is one of the best Pixar movies ever made, which is wild because it was made by Dreamworks. This movie has witty dialogue, well-executed character growth, and a story that is memorable and heartfelt. I have returned to this film again and again, and its incredible soundtrack and excellent narrative continue to draw me in each time.
#34 – Star Wars V
This is unequivocally the best Star Wars movie. It shines for many reasons, and is paced well, expanding the Star Wars universe dramatically. It is a classic that has certainly earned its reputation.
#33 – Ratatouille
You could tell me Ratatouille is on your list anywhere from #50 to #1 and I would completely understand your placement. This movie is one of the best Disney Pixar films, and one of the last ones that has a message lost in today’s world – just because you want to do something doesn’t mean you can or should do it. Monsters University has that message at the forefront as well, but in this movie, it is developed fully alongside plenty of other incredible character lessons. There is so much to dig into in this movie!
#32 – The Patriot
The Patriot is another movie that blazes with true patriotism, a virtue that is being lost in the media of today. This movie is difficult to watch, but its messages stand strong today in a world that would much rather ignore them.
#31 – The Batman
The Batman is a long film. It is not for everyone. You have to really enjoy the content you’re watching in order to put it on a favorites list! But it accomplishes a lot very, very well. I actually did not love The Riddler in this movie – I would have enjoyed it much more if the character was someone else, as I love The Riddler and this was baaarely the character we know and love as audience members. The character worked for the story, I just wish he was someone else. However, hope for a classic Riddler does still exist with the advent of a new Batman on the horizon.
There was also a MAJOR plot contrivance/convenience later in the film that bugs me quite a bit. Otherwise, this movie is incredible, and I would say without hesitation that Robert Pattinson is the best live-action Batman we’ve ever seen. As long as he nails Bruce Wayne in the future, I would not be surprised if his Batman has staying power beyond the three planned films.
#30 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Winter Soldier is labeled as one of the best MCU movies for a reason. It has amazing action sequences, earthquaking plot twists, and a well-written storyline that leaves viewers wanting more.
#29 – Black Panther
Black Panther is a movie I watch yearly with my students because of how well it unpacks some complicated social issues. This movie is filled with enjoyable humor (minus one or two Very dated lines), a meaningful plot line, and some great casting. I even enjoy the Windows XP battle at the end!
#28 – Dune
My gripes with Part II aside, Dune I remains one of my favorite movies. All of the casting was on point (though I wish we had more music from Gurney!!!) and the director captured the heart of the first half of the novel. It was also a visual feast that is not soon forgotten.
#27 – Thor: Ragnarök
One of my personal favorite MCU movies, this film could be considered more of a comedy than a drama. However, it balances that tightrope very well, having some great humor mixed in with excellent storytelling. Hela is not much as far as a villain is before – she is your traditional “I’m evil because I want power and I have a CGI army” bad guy, but she works for the storyline. I love pretty much everything else about this movie!
#26 – Hacksaw Ridge
In a complete tonal 180 we have Hacksaw Ridge. This is one of the most violent films I have ever watched. Even for a war movie, it is gratuitous. And yet, when I walked away from the film, I was blown away. There were just So Many things this movie did right. First of all, Andrew Garfield’s performance was incredible. Secondly – the movie was made in a modern setting, but it gets Christianity right. That’s something you don’t see often. The story it tells is based on the life of a real war hero, and it tells it in a gut-wrenching, no-holds-bar image of what true heroism is. Doss (Garfield’s character) is a pacifist who wants to join the war effort, but refuses to even hold a gun, and the movie somehow manages to make Doss’s pacifism just as heroic as the soldiers fighting, without diminishing or condemning those who protect others with weapons. It strikes a balance that I’ve never seen done this well in Hollywood. All that being said, this is not a movie I will rewatch often.
#25 – The Martian
Another yearly movie for my classroom, The Martian is a great film. Matt Damon is fantastic, pretty much holding up the entire film on his shoulders. Of course, his supporting cast is also excellent, and the story is moving and satisfying. Could it have had a more scientifically accurate ending? Sure. But it was still a fantastic film!
#24 – Nativity Story
I struggle with where to put movies like this. In fact, as I will mention in my epilogue, Passion of the Christ is not even on this list. Where do I rank movies that adapt scripture? The question is a challenging one, but I think this is the proper place for this film. I love this movie – it nailed the Nativity story incredibly well. Were the Wise Men actually at the manger? Probably not, unless you jump through some crazy biblical hoops to make the tradition fit the story. But I don’t think placing them here does any harm, except for the removal of the story of Simeon. I could have done without the final “If I am right, and I usually am” line though. Come on – you did the rest right? Why do this?! Otherwise it is a fantastic adaptation of the birth of Christ, and I highly recommend it!
#23 – No Way Home
No Way Home was a top 5 movie for me when it came out. It has since fallen, and might fall even further. Don’t get me wrong, I really love this movie. The things it does well it does better than most other movies I’ve seen. But the things it does poorly are very, very dumb. Dr. Strange is wildly out of character for this movie in order to make the plot happen, and it suffers from this the whole film. It was as if they had this incredible story lined up, and then were stuck trying to figure out how to get from the beginning to the story itself. And then they ran out of time and went with the first thing they could think of, and smacked some plot contrivances there to get the story where it needs to be. But once it’s there… it’s amazing. Everything is on-point – characters, villains, everything. It is this high on my list for a reason, and that is because it is an immaculate film.
#22 – Inception
I haven’t watched Inception in a ridiculously long time, but I’ve watched it enough to be very confident about its location in this list. We’re in the 9/10 area of my list, and this one is a solid 9 for me. It does everything I want it to do and more – making for an amazing narrative where anything can happen.
#21 – Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2 are not on this list. They probably should be, but I haven’t seen them in waaay too long. GotG 3 though – this movie was amazing. It did an incredible job of giving satisfying closure while leaving doors open, and it was a love letter to the fans of the Guardians. Was it a perfect movie? No – one scene comes to mind in particular as being quite dumb, and there is some justifiable hate for Adam Warlock, but it was certainly a great one.
Just 20 movies left!! What do you think is going to be on the top 20? Let me know in the comments below!!
A Thinker in Space 
What do you think?