In defense of the blockbuster, Rotten Tomatoes offers you Best Summer Movies, a countdown of the highest-rated wide releases to hit theaters during the hot season since the release of Jaws in 1975. We're using a weighted formula that takes the Tomatometer, the number of reviews, and the year of release into account. In order to qualify, each movie needs at least 20 reviews, and to have been released wide in the months between May and August. Enough talk: grab an extra large soda and a bucket of popcorn and dive into RT's Best Summer Movies!
The Fly (1986)
91%
Adjusted Score: 95.956%
?
Critics Consensus: David Cronenberg combines his trademark affinity for gore and horror with strongly developed characters, making The Fly a surprisingly affecting tragedy.
Synopsis: Considered fairly gruesome in its day, the original 1958 The Fly looks like Mister Rogers' Neighborhood compared to this 1986 remake. Jeff Goldblum...
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Directed By:
David Cronenberg
#
75
Face/Off (1997)
91%
Adjusted Score: 96.008%
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Critics Consensus: John Travolta and Nicolas Cage play cat-and-mouse (and literally play each other) against a beautifully stylized backdrop of typically elegant, over-the-top John Woo violence.
Synopsis: The third of John Woo's American-made feature films, Face/Off stars John Travolta as Sean Archer, an FBI agent obsessed with capturing Castor Troy...
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Directed By:
John Woo
#
74
Parenthood (1989)
92%
Adjusted Score: 96.092%
?
Critics Consensus: Bolstered by a delightful cast, Parenthood is a funny and thoughtfully crafted look at the best and worst moments of family life that resonates broadly.
Synopsis: This feel-good ensemble comedy tracks a quartet of suburban siblings and their families over the course of a single summer. Hardworking Gil Buckman...
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Directed By:
Ron Howard
#
73
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
90%
Adjusted Score: 96.238%
?
Critics Consensus: The Simpsons Movie contains the hearty laughs, biting satire, and honest portrayal of an American family that makes the show so popular. And it boasts slicker animation and polished writing that hearkens back to the show's glory days.
Synopsis: They've kept television viewers laughing for nearly 20 years, and now the most popular animated family on the small screen makes the leap into...
[More]
Directed By:
David Silverman
#
72
Speed (1994)
93%
Adjusted Score: 96.441%
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Critics Consensus: A terrific popcorn thriller, Speed is taut, tense, and energetic, with outstanding performances from Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, and Sandra Bullock.
Synopsis: If you don't think Speed is the fastest-moving adventure film ever made, we challenge you to find a faster one. Keanu Reeves stars as an LA Bomb Squad...
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Directed By:
Jan de Bont
#
71
Ruthless People (1986)
94%
Adjusted Score: 96.573%
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Critics Consensus: It's sometimes crude and tasteless, but Ruthless People wrings acid-soaked laughs out of its dark premise and gleefully misanthropic characters.
Synopsis: The last film to be co-directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker, Ruthless People stars Bette Midler (capitalizing on her comeback...
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#
70
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
92%
Adjusted Score: 96.678%
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Critics Consensus: T2 features thrilling action sequences and eye-popping visual effects, but what takes this sci-fi/ action landmark to the next level is the depth of the human (and cyborg) characters.
Synopsis: A sequel to the sci-fi action thriller that made him and star Arnold Schwarzenegger A-list Hollywood names, writer/director James Cameron upped the...
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Directed By:
James Cameron
#
69
Bridesmaids (2011)
90%
Adjusted Score: 96.865%
?
Critics Consensus: A marriage of genuine characters, gross out gags, and pathos, Bridesmaids is a female-driven comedy that refuses to be boxed in as Kristen Wiig emerges as a real star.
Synopsis: This spring, Universal Pictures and producer Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin) invite you to experience Bridesmaids. Kristen Wiig leads...
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Directed By:
Paul Feig
#
68
Die Hard (1988)
92%
Adjusted Score: 96.9%
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Critics Consensus: Its many imitators (and sequels) have never come close to matching the taut thrills of the definitive holiday action classic.
Synopsis: It's Christmas time in L.A., and there's an employee party in progress on the 30th floor of the Nakatomi Corporation building. The revelry comes to a...
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Directed By:
John McTiernan
#
67
Insomnia (2002)
92%
Adjusted Score: 97.074%
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Critics Consensus: Driven by Pacino's performance, Insomnia is a smart and riveting psychological drama.
Synopsis: Director Christopher Nolan follows up his breakthrough sophomore film Memento with this remake of a stylish Norwegian thriller. Al Pacino stars as...
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Directed By:
Christopher Nolan
#
66
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
87%
Adjusted Score: 97.158%
?
Critics Consensus: Visually spectacular and suitably action packed, Star Trek Into Darkness is a rock-solid installment in the venerable sci-fi franchise, even if it's not as fresh as its predecessor.
Synopsis: In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes 'Star Trek Into Darkness.' When the crew of the...
[More]
#
65
Minority Report (2002)
91%
Adjusted Score: 97.48%
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Critics Consensus: Thought-provoking and visceral, Steven Spielberg successfully combines high concept ideas and high octane action in this fast and febrile sci-fi thriller.
Synopsis: Based on a short story by the late Philip K. Dick, this science fiction-thriller reflects the writer's familiar preoccupation with themes of concealed...
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Directed By:
Steven Spielberg
#
64
Dave (1993)
94%
Adjusted Score: 97.516%
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Critics Consensus: Ivan Reitman's refreshingly earnest political comedy benefits from an understated, charming script and a breezy performance by Kevin Kline.
Synopsis: The ghost of Frank Capra must have smiled when he saw Dave, an amusing and effective update of one of Capra's favorite themes -- the scrupulously...
[More]
Directed By:
Ivan Reitman
#
63
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
89%
Adjusted Score: 97.519%
?
Critics Consensus: A classic Tarantino genre-blending thrill ride, Inglourious Basterds is violent, unrestrained, and thoroughly entertaining,
Synopsis: A group of hardened Nazi killers stalk their prey in Nazi-occupied France as a Jewish cinema owner plots to take down top-ranking SS officers during...
[More]
Directed By:
Quentin Tarantino
#
62
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
91%
Adjusted Score: 97.553%
?
Critics Consensus: Little Miss Sunshine succeeds thanks to a strong ensemble cast that includes Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, and Abigail Breslin, as well as a delightfully funny script by Michael Arndt, which first-time directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris handled perfectly.
Synopsis: When a pudgy, bespectacled seven-year-old, Olive (Abigail Breslin), voices her desire to take home the coveted Little Miss Sunshine crown at an...
[More]
#
61
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
93%
Adjusted Score: 97.614%
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Critics Consensus: Smartly written, smoothly directed, and solidly cast, A Fish Called Wanda offers a classic example of a brainy comedy with widespread appeal.
Synopsis: In A Fish Called Wanda, Jamie Lee Curtis plays an ambitious con artist who uses every ounce of her sexual wiles to obtain a fortune in jewels stolen...
[More]
#
60
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
91%
Adjusted Score: 97.806%
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Critics Consensus: Under the assured direction of Alfonso Cuaron, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban triumphantly strikes a delicate balance between technical wizardry and complex storytelling.
Synopsis: After directing the first two movies in the Harry Potter franchise, Chris Columbus opted to serve as producer for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of...
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Directed By:
Alfonso Cuarón
#
59
Out of Sight (1998)
93%
Adjusted Score: 97.732%
?
Critics Consensus: Steven Soderbergh's intelligently crafted adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel is witty, sexy, suprisingly entertaining, and a star-making turn for George Clooney.
Synopsis: Steven Soderbergh directed this crime caper adapted from the novel by Elmore Leonard. When ex-con Jack Foley (George Clooney) robs a bank, his car...
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Directed By:
Steven Soderbergh
#
58
Hairspray (2007)
91%
Adjusted Score: 97.786%
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Critics Consensus: Hairspray is an energetic, wholly entertaining musical romp; a fun Summer movie with plenty of heart. Its contagious songs will make you want to get up and start dancing.
Synopsis: Adam Shankman's adaptation of the stage musical Hairspray, itself an adaptation of the non-musical John Waters film of the same name, stars Nikki...
[More]
Directed By:
Adam Shankman
#
57
The Lion King (1994)
90%
Adjusted Score: 98.046%
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Critics Consensus: Emotionally stirring, richly drawn, and beautifully animated, The Lion King stands tall within Disney's pantheon of classic family films.
Synopsis: One of the most popular Disney animated musicals, The Lion King presents the story of a lion cub's journey to adulthood and acceptance of his royal...
[More]
#
56
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
88%
Adjusted Score: 98.327%
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Critics Consensus: The Dark Knight Rises is an ambitious, thoughtful, and potent action film that concludes Christopher Nolan's franchise in spectacular fashion.
Synopsis: It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of...
[More]
Directed By:
Christopher Nolan
#
55
District 9 (2009)
90%
Adjusted Score: 98.202%
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Critics Consensus: Technically brilliant and emotionally wrenching, District 9 has action, imagination, and all the elements of a thoroughly entertaining science-fiction classic.
Synopsis: Director Neill Blomkamp teams with producer Peter Jackson for this tale of extraterrestrial refugees stuck in contemporary South Africa. It's been 28...
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Directed By:
Neill Blomkamp
#
54
Midnight Run (1988)
95%
Adjusted Score: 98.187%
?
Critics Consensus: Enlivened by the antagonistic chemistry between Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin, Midnight Run is an uncommonly entertaining odd couple comedy.
Synopsis: Director Martin Brest, of Going in Style and Beverly Hills Cop fame, was in charge of Midnight Run. Robert De Niro stars as Jack Walsh, a hard-bitten...
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Directed By:
Martin Brest
#
53
Knocked Up (2007)
91%
Adjusted Score: 98.518%
?
Critics Consensus: Knocked Up is a hilarious, poignant and refreshing look at the rigors of courtship and child-rearing, with a sometimes raunchy, yet savvy script that is ably acted and directed.
Synopsis: When a one-night stand that should have stayed that way has unexpected consequences, the reluctant odd couple attempts to transform their tentative...
[More]
Directed By:
Judd Apatow
#
52
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
92%
Adjusted Score: 98.555%
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Critics Consensus: Anchored by another winning performance from Hanks, Spielberg's unflinchingly realistic war film virtually redefines the genre.
Synopsis: Steven Spielberg directed this powerful, realistic re-creation of WWII's D-day invasion and the immediate aftermath. The story opens with a prologue...
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Directed By:
Steven Spielberg
#
51
Midnight in Paris (2011)
93%
Adjusted Score: 98.63%
?
Critics Consensus: It may not boast the depth of his classic films, but the sweetly sentimental Midnight in Paris is funny and charming enough to satisfy Woody Allen fans.
Synopsis: This is a romantic comedy set in Paris about a family that goes there because of business, and two young people who are engaged to be married in the...
[More]
Directed By:
Woody Allen
#
50
Sicko (2007)
92%
Adjusted Score: 98.713%
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Critics Consensus: Driven by Michael Moore's sincere humanism, Sicko is a devastating, convincing, and very entertaining documentary about the state of America's health care.
Synopsis: After exploring the predominance of violence in American culture in Bowling for Columbine and taking a critical look at the September 11th attacks in...
[More]
Starring:
Michael Moore
Directed By:
Michael Moore
#
49
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
95%
Adjusted Score: 98.729%
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Critics Consensus: Blessed by a brilliantly befuddled star turn from Chevy Chase, National Lampoon's Vacation is one of the more consistent -- and thoroughly quotable -- screwball comedies of the 1980s.
Synopsis: The first film in the Vacation comedy franchise stars Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, an ad exec who becomes consumed with taking his family...
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Directed By:
Harold Ramis
#
48
Supercop (Police Story 3) (Ging chaat goo si 3: Chiu kap ging chaat) (1992)
96%
Adjusted Score: 98.954%
?
Critics Consensus: Blending hand-to-hand combat with breathtaking stunts and slapstick comedy, Supercop reminds us why Jackie Chan is one of the world's great entertainers.
Synopsis: A Hong Kong detective fights to stop a Chinese drug czar.
[More]
Directed By:
Stanley Tong
#
47
Fruitvale Station (2013)
94%
Adjusted Score: 99.402%
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Critics Consensus: Passionate and powerfully acted, Fruitvale Station serves as a celebration of life, a condemnation of death, and a triumph for star Michael B. Jordan.
Synopsis: Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize for dramatic feature and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, director...
[More]
Directed By:
Ryan Coogler
#
46
What's Love Got To Do With It? (1993)
96%
Adjusted Score: 99.097%
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Critics Consensus: With a fascinating real-life story and powerhouse performances from Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne, What's Love Got to Do With It? is a can't miss biopic.
Synopsis: What's Love Got to Do With It? is the filmed biography of R&B;/pop singer Tina Turner (Angela Bassett), documenting her efforts to break away from her...
[More]
Directed By:
Brian Gibson
#
45
Drag Me to Hell (2009)
92%
Adjusted Score: 99.285%
?
Critics Consensus: Sam Raimi returns to top form with Drag Me to Hell, a frightening, hilarious, delightfully campy thrill ride.
Synopsis: Evil Dead director Sam Raimi takes the helm for this "spook-a-blast" shocker about an ambitious L.A. loan officer who incurs the wrath of a malevolent...
[More]
Directed By:
Sam Raimi
#
44
Hero (2004)
94%
Adjusted Score: 99.366%
?
Critics Consensus: A sumptuous movie that'll excite your eyes if not your heart.
Synopsis: Hero is two-time Academy Award nominee Zhang Yimou's directorial attempt at exploring the concept of a Chinese hero. During the peak of their Warring...
[More]
#
43
In the Line of Fire (1993)
95%
Adjusted Score: 99.352%
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Critics Consensus: A straightforward thriller of the highest order, In the Line of Fire benefits from Wolfgang Peterson's taut direction and charismatic performances from Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich.
Synopsis: Clint Eastwood delivers one of his finest performances, as a secret service agent haunted by his past in Wolfgang Petersen's taut thriller In the Line...
[More]
Directed By:
Wolfgang Petersen
#
42
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
95%
Adjusted Score: 99.6%
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Critics Consensus: Close Encounters' most iconic bits (the theme, the mashed-potato sculpture, etc.) have been so thoroughly absorbed into the culture that it's easy to forget that its treatment of aliens as peaceful beings rather than warmongering monsters was somewhat groundbreaking in 1977.
Synopsis: Steven Spielberg followed Jaws (1975), his first major box-office success, with this epic science fiction adventure about a disparate group of people...
[More]
Directed By:
Steven Spielberg
#
41
The Fugitive (1993)
96%
Adjusted Score: 100.603%
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Critics Consensus: Exhilarating and intense, this high-impact chase thriller is a model of taut and efficient formula filmmaking, and it features Harrison Ford at his frantic best.
Synopsis: This 1993 box-office smash partly adheres to the 1960s TV series on which it is based and partly goes off on several tangents of its own. Harrison...
[More]
Directed By:
Andrew Davis
#
40
March of the Penguins (2005)
94%
Adjusted Score: 99.574%
?
Critics Consensus: Only the most hardened soul won't be moved by this heartwarming doc.
Synopsis: Emperor penguins overcome daunting obstacles in order to return to their breeding grounds for mating season. This tells the story of one year in the...
[More]
Directed By:
Luc Jacquet
#
39
Jurassic Park (1993)
93%
Adjusted Score: 101.198%
?
Critics Consensus: Jurassic Park is a spectacle of special effects and life-like animatronics, with some of Spielberg's best sequences of sustained awe and sheer terror since Jaws.
Synopsis: Steven Spielberg's phenomenally successful sci-fi adventure thriller is graced by state-of-the-art special effects from the team of Stan Winston, Phil...
[More]
Directed By:
Steven Spielberg
#
38
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
94%
Adjusted Score: 100.032%
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Critics Consensus: Intense, tightly constructed, and darkly comic at times, Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket may not boast the most original of themes, but it is exceedingly effective at communicating them.
Synopsis: Stanley Kubrick's return to filmmaking after a seven-year hiatus, this film crystallizes the experience of the Vietnam War by concentrating on a group...
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#
37
The Truman Show (1998)
94%
Adjusted Score: 100.23%
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Critics Consensus: A funny, tender, and thought-provoking film, The Truman Show is all the more noteworthy for its remarkably prescient vision of runaway celebrity culture and a nation with an insatiable thirst for the private details of ordinary lives.
Synopsis: Peter Weir directed this comedy-drama, a commentary on all-pervasive media manipulation. Scripted by Andrew M. Niccol (Gattaca), the film plays like a...
[More]
Directed By:
Peter Weir
#
36
Ghostbusters (1984)
96%
Adjusted Score: 100.472%
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Critics Consensus: An infectiously fun blend of special effects and comedy, with Bill Murray's hilarious deadpan performance leading a cast of great comic turns.
Synopsis: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson star as a quartet of Manhattan-based "paranormal investigators". When their government grants...
[More]
Directed By:
Ivan Reitman
#
35
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
93%
Adjusted Score: 101.036%
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Critics Consensus: A legendarily expansive and ambitious start to the sci-fi saga, George Lucas opened our eyes to the possiblites of blockbuster filmmaking and things have never been the same.
Synopsis: George Lucas' mythological popcorn movie is a two-hour roller-coaster ride that has passed into movie legend. The story, for the tiny number of people...
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Directed By:
George Lucas
#
34
Apollo 13 (1995)
95%
Adjusted Score: 100.655%
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Critics Consensus: In recreating the troubled space mission, Apollo 13 pulls no punches: it's a masterfully told drama from director Ron Howard, bolstered by an ensemble of solid performances.
Synopsis: "Houston, we have a problem." Those words were immortalized during the tense days of the Apollo 13 lunar mission crisis in 1970, events recreated in...
[More]
Directed By:
Ron Howard
#
33
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
95%
Adjusted Score: 100.819%
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Critics Consensus: Featuring bravura set pieces, sly humor, and white-knuckle action, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most consummately entertaining adventure pictures of all time.
Synopsis: Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is no ordinary archeologist. When we first see him, he is somewhere in the Peruvian jungle in 1936, running a...
[More]
Directed By:
Steven Spielberg
#
32
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
94%
Adjusted Score: 100.934%
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Critics Consensus: Boasting an entertaining villain and deeper emotional focus, this is a nimble sequel that improves upon the original.
Synopsis: Stan Lee's all-too-human superhero returns to the screen in this highly anticipated sequel to 2002's blockbuster hit Spider-Man. Peter Parker (Tobey...
[More]
Directed By:
Sam Raimi
#
31
Blade Runner (1982)
91%
Adjusted Score: 101.104%
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Critics Consensus: Misunderstood when it first hit theaters, the influence of Ridley Scott's mysterious, neo-noir Blade Runner has deepened with time. A visually remarkable, achingly human sci-fi masterpiece.
Synopsis: A blend of science fiction and noir detective fiction, Blade Runner (1982) was a box office and critical bust upon its initial exhibition, but its...
[More]
Directed By:
Ridley Scott
#
30
Iron Man (2008)
93%
Adjusted Score: 101.166%
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Critics Consensus: Director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey make this smart, high impact superhero movie one that even non-comics fans can enjoy.
Synopsis: From Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures comes Iron Man, an action-packed take on the tale of wealthy philanthropist Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.),...
[More]
Directed By:
Jon Favreau
#
29
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
94%
Adjusted Score: 101.309%
?
Critics Consensus: Warm, whimsical, and poignant, the immaculately framed and beautifully acted Moonrise Kingdom presents writer/director Wes Anderson at his idiosyncratic best.
Synopsis: Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a...
[More]
Directed By:
Wes Anderson
#
28
Babe (1995)
97%
Adjusted Score: 101.258%
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Critics Consensus:
Synopsis: A young pig fights convention to become a sheep dog -- or, rather, sheep pig -- in this charming Australian family film, which became an unexpected...
[More]
#
27
Unforgiven (1992)
96%
Adjusted Score: 101.619%
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Critics Consensus: As both director and star, Clint Eastwood strips away decades of Hollywood varnish applied to the Wild West, and emerges with a series of harshly eloquent statements about the nature of violence.
Synopsis: Dedicated to his mentors Sergio Leone and Don Siegel, Clint Eastwood's 1992 Oscar-winner examines the mythic violence of the Western, taking on the...
[More]
Directed By:
Clint Eastwood
#
26
Bull Durham (1988)
97%
Adjusted Score: 101.709%
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Critics Consensus: Kevin Costner at his funniest and most charismatic in Bull Durham, a film that's as wise about relationships as it is about minor league baseball.
Synopsis: A blend of comedy, drama and romance, Bull Durham follows the intertwining of three lives brought together by the great American pastime. Crash Davis...
[More]
Directed By:
Ron Shelton
#
25
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
94%
Adjusted Score: 101.737%
?
Critics Consensus: The Bourne Ultimatum is an intelligent, finely tuned non-stop thrill ride. Another strong performance from Matt Damon and sharp camerawork from Paul Greengrass make this the finest installment of the Bourne trilogy.
Synopsis: Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) races to solve the mystery of his past while being hunted by members of the very organization he was hired into as director...
[More]
Directed By:
Paul Greengrass
#
24
Chicken Run (2000)
97%
Adjusted Score: 101.808%
?
Critics Consensus: Chicken Run has all the charm of Nick Park's Wallace & Gromit, and something for everybody. The voice acting is fabulous, the slapstick is brilliant, and the action sequences are spectacular.
Synopsis: Aardman Animations, the British clay-animation studio that created a cult sensation (and won three Academy awards) with its short subjects featuring...
[More]
#
23
The Iron Giant (1999)
97%
Adjusted Score: 102.017%
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Critics Consensus: Engaging, endearing, affecting and charmingly retro, The Iron Giant tackles touchy subjects and complex relationships with a steady hand and beautiful animation direction from Brad Bird.
Synopsis: A boy's best friend is his robot in this animated adventure from Brad Bird, best known for his TV work on such series as The Simpsons, King of the...
[More]
Directed By:
Brad Bird
#
22
Marvel's The Avengers (2012)
92%
Adjusted Score: 102.215%
?
Critics Consensus: With a script that never forgets its heroes' humanity and no shortage of superpowered set pieces, The Avengers lives up to its hype -- and raises the bar for Marvel at the movies.
Synopsis: Marvel Studios presents Marvel's The Avengers-the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible...
[More]
Directed By:
Joss Whedon
#
21
Big (1988)
97%
Adjusted Score: 101.995%
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Critics Consensus: Refreshingly sweet and undeniably funny, Big is a showcase for Tom Hanks, who dives into his role and infuses it with charm and surprising poignancy.
Synopsis: More than anything else, 13-year old New Jerseyite Josh (David Moscow) wants to be "big". That's the wish he makes at an odd-looking amusement pier...
[More]
Directed By:
Penny Marshall
#
20
Back to the Future (1985)
96%
Adjusted Score: 102.101%
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Critics Consensus: Inventive, funny, and breathlessly constructed, Back to the Future is rousing a time-travel adventure with an unforgettable spirit.
Synopsis: Contemporary high schooler Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) doesn't have the most pleasant of lives. Browbeaten by his principal at school, Marty must...
[More]
Directed By:
Robert Zemeckis
#
19
Risky Business (1983)
98%
Adjusted Score: 102.19%
?
Critics Consensus: Featuring one of Tom Cruise's best early performances, Risky Business is a sharp, funny examination of teen angst that doesn't stop short of exploring dark themes.
Synopsis: Risky Business is the film in which 19-year-old Tom Cruise dances around his living room in his underwear. He does this to celebrate the fact that his...
[More]
Directed By:
Paul Brickman
#
18
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
98%
Adjusted Score: 102.614%
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Critics Consensus: Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is an innovative and entertaining film that features a groundbreaking mix of live action and animation, with a touching and original story to boot.
Synopsis: In Robert Zemeckis's trailblazing combination of animation and live-action, Hollywood's 1940s cartoon stars are a subjugated minority, living in the...
[More]
Directed By:
Robert Zemeckis
#
17
Ratatouille (2007)
96%
Adjusted Score: 103.152%
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Critics Consensus: Pixar succeeds again with Ratatouille, a stunningly animated film with fast pacing, memorable characters, and overall good humor.
Synopsis: A scrawny rat named Remy (voice of Patton Oswalt) finds his dreams of culinary superstardom stirring up sizable controversy in the kitchen of a fine...
[More]
Directed By:
Brad Bird
#
16
Aliens (1986)
98%
Adjusted Score: 103.389%
?
Critics Consensus: While Alien was a marvel of slow-building, atmospheric tension, Aliens packs a much more visceral punch, and features a typically strong performance from Sigourney Weaver.
Synopsis: Big-budget special effects, swiftly paced action, and a distinct feminist subtext from writer/director James Cameron turned what should have been a...
[More]
Directed By:
James Cameron
#
15
Airplane! (1980)
98%
Adjusted Score: 103.417%
?
Critics Consensus: Though unabashedly juvenile and silly, Airplane! is nevertheless an uproarious spoof comedy full of quotable lines and slapstick gags that endure to this day.
Synopsis: This spoof of the Airport series of disaster movies relies on ridiculous sight gags, groan-inducing dialogue, and deadpan acting -- a comedy style...
[More]
#
14
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
96%
Adjusted Score: 103.75%
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Critics Consensus: Dark, sinister, but ultimately even more involving than A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back defies viewer expectations and takes the series to heightened emotional levels.
Synopsis: The second entry in George Lucas' Star Wars trilogy finds Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the green-as-grass hero from the first film, now a seasoned...
[More]
Directed By:
Irvin Kershner
#
13
The Dark Knight (2008)
94%
Adjusted Score: 103.863%
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Critics Consensus: Dark, complex and unforgettable, The Dark Knight succeeds not just as an entertaining comic book film, but as a richly thrilling crime saga.
Synopsis: Christopher Nolan steps back into the director's chair for this sequel to Batman Begins, which finds the titular superhero coming face to face with...
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Directed By:
Christopher Nolan
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12
WALL-E (2008)
96%
Adjusted Score: 103.94%
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Critics Consensus: Charming, audacious, and timely, Wall-E's lighthearted magic and stellar visuals testify once again to Pixar's ingenuity.
Synopsis: Disney and Pixar join forces for this computer-animated tale about a wide-eyed robot who travels to the deepest reaches of outer space in search of a...
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Directed By:
Andrew Stanton
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11
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)
96%
Adjusted Score: 104.133%
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Critics Consensus: Thrilling, powerfully acted, and visually dazzling, Deathly Hallows Part II brings the Harry Potter franchise to a satisfying -- and suitably magical -- conclusion.
Synopsis: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. The much-anticipated motion picture event is...
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Directed By:
David Yates
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10
Mud (2013)
98%
Adjusted Score: 104.225%
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Critics Consensus: Bolstered by a strong performance from Matthew McConaughey in the title role, Mud offers an engaging Southern drama that manages to stay sweet and heartwarming without being sappy.
Synopsis: Mud is an adventure about two boys, Ellis and his friend Neckbone, who find a man named Mud hiding out on an island in the Mississippi. Mud describes...
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Directed By:
Jeff Nichols (VI)
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9
Before Midnight (2013)
98%
Adjusted Score: 104.454%
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Critics Consensus: Building on the first two installments in Richard Linklater's well-crafted Before trilogy, Before Midnight offers intelligent, powerfully acted perspectives on love, marriage, and long-term commitment.
Synopsis: Before Midnight is an upcoming American romance drama film and the sequel to Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004). Like its predecessors,...
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Directed By:
Richard Linklater
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8
Star Trek (2009)
95%
Adjusted Score: 104.471%
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Critics Consensus: Star Trek reignites a classic franchise with action, humor, a strong story, and brilliant visuals, and will please traditional Trekkies and new fans alike.
Synopsis: Mission: Impossible III director and Alias creator J.J. Abrams resurrects the classic science fiction franchise created by Gene Roddenberry with this...
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Directed By:
J.J. Abrams
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7
Jaws (1975)
98%
Adjusted Score: 105.279%
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Critics Consensus: Compelling, well-crafted storytelling and a judicious sense of terror ensure Steven Spielberg's Jaws has remained a benchmark in the art of delivering modern blockbuster thrills.
Synopsis: Based on Peter Benchley's best-selling novel, Steven Spielberg's 1975 shark saga set the standard for the New Hollywood popcorn blockbuster while...
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Directed By:
Steven Spielberg
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6
Finding Nemo (2003)
99%
Adjusted Score: 105.453%
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Critics Consensus: Breathtaking animation, talented vocal work, and a well-written screenplay add up to another Pixar success.
Synopsis: In this stunning underwater adventure, with memorable characters, humor and heartfelt emotion, Finding Nemo follows the comedic and momentous journey...
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5
Toy Story 3 (2010)
99%
Adjusted Score: 106.325%
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Critics Consensus: Deftly blending comedy, adventure, and honest emotion, Toy Story 3 is a rare second sequel that really works.
Synopsis: Pixar returns to their first success with Toy Story 3. The movie begins with Andy leaving for college and donating his beloved toys -- including Woody...
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Directed By:
Lee Unkrich
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4
Alien (1979)
97%
Adjusted Score: 106.659%
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Critics Consensus: A modern classic, Alien blends science fiction, horror and bleak poetry into a seamless whole.
Synopsis: "In space, no one can hear you scream." A close encounter of the third kind becomes a Jaws-style nightmare when an alien invades a spacecraft in...
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Directed By:
Ridley Scott
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3
Up (2009)
98%
Adjusted Score: 106.801%
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Critics Consensus: Another masterful work of art from Pixar, Up is an exciting, hilarious, and heartfelt adventure impeccably crafted and told with wit and depth.
Synopsis: A feisty septuagenarian teams with a fearless wilderness ranger to do battle with a vicious band of beasts and villains in this computer-animated...
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2
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
98%
Adjusted Score: 108.219%
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Critics Consensus: Playing as both an exciting sci-fi adventure and a remarkable portrait of childhood, Steven Spielberg's touching tale of a homesick alien remains a piece of movie magic for young and old.
Synopsis: Both a classic movie for kids and a remarkable portrait of childhood, E.T. is a sci-fi adventure that captures that strange moment in youth when the...
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Directed By:
Steven Spielberg
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