Block Buster
If most = best, then blockbusters are definitely the best kind of movie. But what's the best of the most?
30. Mission Impossible: Fallout
Anyone who thought that the Mission Impossible franchise was on its last legs changed their tune the second they saw Henry Cavill cock his shoulders during Fallout's brutal bathroom fight. Still maybe the peak of the franchise, Fallout proved that in modern Hollywood, there's still no one like Tom Cruise.
Paramount , Mission: Impossible (2023)
29. Robocop
The hyperviolence of Robocop may stop it from being a "blockbuster" in the truest sense of the word, but see it today with a packed theatre and tell me it's not one of the greatest blockbusters of all time. Murphy!
RoboCop (1987), Orion Pictures
28. Back To The Future
John Mulaney was right: Back To The Future has an absolutely insane premise and it's crazy they let anyone make that movie. But they did let Robert Zemeckis make that movie—and he turned it into one of the greatest blockbusters ever. That's the power of love!
Universal, Back To The Future (1985)
27. The Avengers
The shadow of the MCU looms large over blockbuster cinema—and not in a good way—but take it from a nerd who was there: After several lead-up movies, when the Avengers finally teamed up to fight together in one long sweeping shot—that's a "jump out of your seat and cheer" moment if there's ever been one.
26. Men In Black
"Sugar...water..." If you missed peak 90s blockbuster movie star Will Smith, do yourself a favor. Go back and watch Independence Day, or Bad Boys—heck, even watch Wild, Wild West! It's crazy!
But if you want to see the pure blockbuster best of the best—comedy, action, effects—there's no topping Men In Black.
25. Gladiator
There are a million reasons Gladiator is one of the greatest blockbusters of all time, but I'm only going to give you two:
1: Russell
2: Crowe
24. The Dark Knight
Why so serious? The Dark Knight was so big it broke our culture. It has one of the greatest screen performances ever by Heath Ledger...who we lost before the movie even came out. It's got Christopher Nolan coming into his own as a big-scale, blockbuster director. It rocks, check it out.
Warner Bros. The Dark Knight (2008)
23. Avengers: Endgame
Captain American catching Thor's hammer is a moment of payoff in the theatre that will probably never happen again.
Marvel, Avengers: Endgame (2019)
22. Iron Man
There wouldn't have been an MCU without Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr. was a bit of a joke in the industry. Iron Man was not a popular comic book hero. It seemed like another fiasco waiting to happen.
Then RDJ and Jon Favreau not only proved everyone wrong—they kind of made a movie so good it broke Hollywood.
The Avengers (2012), Marvel Studios
21. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
In hindsight, it seems crazy that we got Harry Potter movies as good as we did. The David Yates entries are all great movies, but if HP is getting one spot here, it's going to Alfonso Cuarón's The Prisoner of Azkaban.
The kids are coming into their own as actors, Cuarón's hitting his stride as a director, and the film's darn near perfect.
Warner Bros., Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
20. Avatar
Before it came out, everyone said Avatar looked stupid. After it came out, everyone said it was stupid and wasn't even that good. But when it was in theatres? Billion-dollar-blockbuster baby.
James Cameron made a fake world with blue cat people—and he did such a good job that people literally learn to lucid dream so they can go there.
19. Guardians Of The Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy was based on a comic book pretty much no one had heard of and it starred the chubby funny guy from Parks and Recreation. That doesn't sound like a sure-fire hit—but then James Gunn delivered one of the most original and joyous blockbusters of the 21st century.
After Guardians of the Galaxy was a success, it felt like the MCU was invincible. Honestly, it was...for a while at least.
Marvel, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
18. Edge Of Tomorrow
Live. Die. Repeat. Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt's groundhog day alien war epic is exactly as good as it sounds from that description—better probably.
Warner Bros. Edge Of Tomorrow (2014)
17. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Every single movie listed so far is 5-star blockbuster entertainment...but none of them have Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sorry, but they never stood a chance. 👍
16. Star Trek
Controversial, but 2009's Star Trek is JJ Abrams' masterpiece and the world's introduction to Chris Pine the movie star. Maybe a little manic and bombastic for real Trekkers, but Abrams' reboot of the series is about as much fun as you can have in a movie theatre. Numbtongue!?!
15. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are two of the most entertaining directors working in Hollywood right now.
They made Game Night, one of the best comedies of the 2010s, and followed it up with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Don't think it should be here? Go watch it and tell me that. Send my regards to Jarnathan.
Paramount, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
14. Spider-Man 2
There have been a lot of comic book movies, but for my money, no movie has done a better job of portraying the specific excitement of a comic book than Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2.
Alexander Tolstykh, Shutterstock
13. Titanic
If you don't think epic sweeping Hollywood romances work, just go see Titanic in a movie theatre. If that doesn't win you over, well then I'm sorry, you're beyond help.
Twentieth Century Fox, Titanic (1997)
12. Pirates Of The Caribbean, The Curse Of The Black Pearl
They sure don't make 'em like this anymore! On top of the CGI effects that somehow hold up to this day, the first Pirates movie was still filmed on real pirate ships in the real Caribbean by real Gore Verbinski, pound-for-pound one of the greatest blockbuster directors of all time...and we haven't even mentioned Jack Sparrow yet.
The role might have broken Johnny Depp for good—but it's so good, it's almost worth it.
Walt Disney, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
11. Avatar: The Way Of Water
The way of water has no beginning and no end. Our hearts beat in the womb of the world. The sea is your home, before your birth and after your death. The sea gives and the sea takes. Water connects all things: life to death, darkness to light.
20th Century Studios, Avatar (2022)
10. Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark
We have offically reached "Greatest Movies Of All Time" territory. Steven Spielberg's Raiders Of The Lost Ark essentially invented blockbuster filmmaking as we know it today.
Harrison Ford reaching back under a closing door to grab his hat just as it slams shut. That's the movies right there. Everyone has done it since, but no one's done it better.
Paramount, The Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
9. Die Hard
Please give 1,000 filmmakers as much money as they could ever want and tell them to make Die Hard. Not a single one of them will make a movie as good as John McTiernan's 1988 masterpiece.
Bruce. Rickman. Veljohnson. Die Hard is a miracle.
20th century fox, Die Hard (1988)
8. Aliens
Legend has it, when Jim Cameron went into Fox to pitch a sequel to Alien, he simply drew the word "ALIEN" on a posterboard. Then he wordlessly added an "S". Then he drew a line through the S.
ALIEN. ALIENS. ALIEN$. He knew exactly what he was doing. Game over, man.
20th century fox, Aliens (1986)
8. Jaws
We all know that Jaws "invented" the summer blockbuster. But surely, a movie from 1975 about three schlubby men going after one shark can't compete with super-heroes, spaceships, and Reginald Veljohnson?
I assure you: It can. You know why? Steven Spielberg is my guess.
7. Mad Max: Fury Road
Almost exactly 30 minutes into Mad Max: Fury Road, the screen fades to black. Seeing the film in theatres, the entire audience let out an audible gasp all together, because we'd all been holding our breath. Then came the cheer. How many movies can do that?
Warner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
5. Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park remains probably the best idea for a movie...ever, and Steven Spielberg made it at the absolute height of his powers.
As much as I want to, I will probably never see a dinosaur in real life. But dang if watching Jurassic Park isn't the next best thing.
Universal, Jurassic Park (1993)
4. The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars is seems pretty toast, but at least we still have The Empire Strikes Back.
20th Century Fox, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
3. Star Wars
1977's Star Wars, starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford, is like The Beatles. It became the biggest thing in the world and everyone says it's the best of the best. You want it to be overhyped.
Sorry gang, it's not. From Luke staring out over two suns yearning for more, to Han appearing at the last moment to save the day, this is what it's all about.
20th Century, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
2. Alien
The special effects. The tension. The fashion. Corporate greed. Milk blood. Sigourney. Ridley Scott's Alien should be at the top of every single movie ranking. It's almost 50 years old and no sci-fi horror movie has come close to topping it. And yet...
20th Century Studios, Alien (1979)
1. The Matrix
The Matrix is the best blockbuster ever made. It has action and spectacle to rival any other movie on this list. Legendary, Oscar-worthy performances. Drawing on martial arts movies and anime, the Wachowskis invented countless Hollywood tropes that are still being copied and parodied to this day—that probably will be forever.
The closer? As the world becomes more exhausting and incomprehensible with each passing day, The Matrix just hits closer and closer to home. Why, oh why didn't I take the blue pill?
