The Best Movies With One Word Titles
You'd be surprised at how much creativity it takes to title a movie with just a single word. That title has to encapsulate the movie's plot or a significant character—and be memorable enough to market the movie effectively. While one-word movie titles aren't exactly rare, they're far less common than their multi-word counterparts. Here are some of the best films ever made with one-word titles.
Godzilla
Godzilla (1954) kicks off our list of the best movies with one-word titles. The 1954 epic sci-fi thriller saw the introduction of the creature known as Godzilla, a giant monster that threatens to wipe Japan off the map in its post-war era. The Japanese movie would spawn a franchise that's lasted for 70 years, with the most recent Godzilla flick released in 2024: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
Elf
Buddy the Elf is introduced to us in this one-word Christmas classic. Elf (2003) stars Will Ferrell as the titular character on a quest from Santa to find his real birth father, having been born as a human-sized elf, rather than the traditionally pint-sized creatures we're used to hearing about at Christmas. Elf is widely considered one of the most popular Christmas movies of all time.
Braveheart
Braveheart (1995) tells the story of Sir William Wallace—the Scottish freedom fighter who fought for Scottish independence from England in the late 13th century, defeating an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. His heroic life is captured in this war epic starring Mel Gibson.
Twentieth Century, Braveheart (1995)
Heat
One of the best one-word movies out there, Heat (1995) stars Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in this crime-thriller classic. A game of cops-and-robbers takes place on the screen as Neil McCauley (De Niro) tries to secure one last big score, and Lieutenant Hanna (Pacino) tries to stop him. Heat is a classic that's widely considered one of the greatest movies of all time.
Speed
Starring Keanu Reeves in his breakout role and Sandra Bullock, Speed (1994) is an action movie wherein Reeves and Bullock must work together to keep a bus moving at a particular speed, or else a mysterious terrorist will blow the bus up. Riveting throughout, Speed is considered an action classic.
Twentieth Century, Speed (1994)
Jaws
Of course, Jaws (1975) had to be on here. The classic thriller where the sharks were the stars of the show, Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Schneider played the leading roles—a mayor that wants to keep beaches open, and ichthyologist who must locate and capture the killer shark—in a movie where several shark attacks have led to terrified citizens of a small American town.
Alien
Ridley Scott's epic sci-fi horror from 1979 tells the tale of a spaceship and crew who's investigation of a distress call leads to an unexpected and horrifying discovery. Alien is widely considered one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time and one of the first one-word movies that comes to mind when anyone is asked, "What's the best one-word movie you can think of?"
Twentieth Century, Alien (1979)
Goodfellas
With a star-studded cast of Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci, this gangland crime thriller is based on the crime book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi. Goodfellas (1990) narrates the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill and his friends and family.
Warner Bros., Goodfellas (1990)
Shrek
This 2001 animated classic features Shrek, an ogre, and his trusty sidekick Donkey as they go on a quest to save Princess Fiona, in exchange for Lord Farquaad saving Shrek's swamp, which was slated for destruction. One of the best animated movies of all time and one of DreamWorks' highest-grossing films ever, Shrek has spawned five sequels.
Batman
First released in 1989, Batman is the first in a long line of movies from the eponymous Caped Crusader, based on the DC Comics of the same name. It stars Michael Keaton as Batman fighting his war on crime against an arch enemy, Joker, played by Jack Nicholson.
Up
Pixar's Up (2009) is a compelling, emotional portrayal of a widowed husband's journey to fulfill a promise to his late wife—to fly their house to South America using a thousand balloons. This incredible tale is one of Pixar's most emotional (and funny) movies, and it's perfectly summed up in the one-word title—in just two letters!
Casablanca
This black and white flick shot in 1942 is often thought of as a classic love story. It features an American expat (Humphrey Bogart) who must choose between the love he feels for a woman he's met in the Moroccan city of Casablanca and helping her husband—a Czechoslovakian resistance leader who's leading a brave fight against the Germans during the war.
Warner Bros., Casablanca (1942)
Psycho
This Alfred Hitchcock classic from 1960 is considered by many to be the ultimate horror movie. Psycho tells the tale of Marion Crane, an on-the-run thief who meets Norman Bates at the Bates Motel—there, the term "slasher" takes on a whole new meaning.
Ghostbusters
Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters—right? This supernatural comedy thriller sees a team of supernatural fighters battling ghosts for money after losing their prestigious positions at New York University. This cult classic was launched in 1984 and has since become one of the most successful supernatural thrillers of all time.
Bambi
Bambi (1942) tells the story of a young doe that must discover new friends—and find his father—after the tragic death of his mother. This classic Disney movie is a touching coming-of-age tale that frequently ranks among fans' favorite animated films of all time.
Titanic
Telling the tragic tale of the RMS Titanic, this romance drama stars Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet as lovers aboard the ill-fated ship that sank in April of 1912 in the North Atlantic. It's another candidate for the most well-known one-word movies ever.
Halloween
Directed by John Carpenter, Halloween (1978) is a slasher thriller that features Michael Myers as the antagonist in the movie, a troubled man who was committed to an asylum for the murder of his sister. The original movie stars Donald Pleasance and Jamie Lee Curtis (in her debut role), but each of the 13 sequels have portrayed Myers as the central figure, with various protagonists trying to stop him. It is undoubtedly one of the greatest horror movies of all time.
Beetlejuice
The original Beetlejuice (1988) masterfully mixes humor and horror. Directed by Tim Burton, the ghostly movie centers on two recently-deceased people (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) who enlist the help of eccentric ghost-banisher Beetlejuice to rid their marital home of its new occupants. This cult classic was eventually given a sequel that was released this year—entitled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, it was one of the most-anticipated films of the year.
Warner Bros., Beetlejuice (1988)
Rocky
One of Sylvester Stallone's finest movies ever, Rocky (1976) tells the story of a young upstart boxer, Rocky Balboa, who has an unexpected opportunity to fight against World Champion Apollo Creed. Detailing his journey from amateur to pro, Rocky is widely considered the greatest sports movie of all time.
Poltergeist
Ghostly and ghoulish, Poltergeist (1982) tells a gripping tale of a teenager and her little sister who communicate with the eponymous titular character through the television set—and while communication begins friendly enough, it quickly turns dark and sinister. Another horror classic on our list, Poltergeist is one of Steven Spielberg's greatest productions.
Predator
When Arnold Schwarzenegger says "I'll be back", you better believe it. The film tells the tale of elite Green Beret Major Alan Schaefer, who must rescue a team of scientists trapped on an island by an unspecified creature that uses a cloaking device to disguise its movements. This gripping thriller has ran alongside Alien as part of a crossover series since 2002.
Twentieth Century, Predator (1987)
Airplane!
Finally, a good out-and-out comedy movie makes an appearance on our list. Airplane! (1980) is a disaster horror movie that's a parody of the Paramount Pictures disaster movie Zero Hour! (1957). This hilarious take on the 1957 film stars Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, and even has an appearance by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Goldfinger
The first James Bond movie to feature a one-word title and the third to star Sean Connery, Goldfinger (1964) tells the story of Bond's efforts to stop an evil tycoon, Auric Goldfinger, from raiding Fort Knox and adding to his considerable fortune. Based on the 1959 Ian Fleming novel of the same name, Goldfinger was the first of Bond's box office blockbusters.
United Artists, Goldfinger (1964)
Robocop
Starring Peter Weller as the titular character, Robocop (1987) is set in a violence-ridden, apocalyptic Detroit, Michigan, where Robocop—or Alex Murphy, a revived-from-the-dead-and-mechanized police officer—must enforce the law with his newfound robotic capabilities. If you've ever heard, "Come with me, or there'll be trouble," this is the movie where the iconic line originated.
Deadpool
A more recent cinematic hit in our one-word army is Deadpool (2016). Starring Ryan Reynolds, Gina Carano, and Morena Baccarin, Deadpool tells the story of how the titular character, a vigilante superhero, came to be. It has spawned two sequels, the last of which—Deadpool and Wolverine—was released in 2024, to incredible theatrical success.
Twentieth Century, Deadpool (2016)
Caddyshack
Caddyshack (1980) is widely considered one of the funniest sports comedies of all time and one of the greatest movies about golf ever. Starring Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Rodney Dangerfield, Caddyshack tells the story of Danny Noonan (Michael O'Keefe), a down-and-out teen with a talent for golf and his quest to earn a scholarship via an elite club of veterans, as a golf caddy. With humor throughout, Caddyshack is an American sporting classic.
Warner Bros., Caddyshack (1980)
Inception
Inception (2010) might be one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen. It's not called a "mind-bending thriller" by critics for nothing. Starring Leonardo Di Caprio, Cillian Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Tom Hardy, this magician-centric thriller leaves the twist in the tale to the end. It might leave you thinking, "What did I just watch?"
Warner Bros., Inception (2010)
Scarface
"Say hello to my little friend"—but with the Al Pacino accent, of course. Scarface (1983) is another mobster crime movie which sees Tony Montana (Al Pacino) forge his way to the top of the Miami drug trade through violence. Notable for the iconic scar on Montana's face, Scarface is based on a 1932 movie of the same name, but this one created a legacy as one of the greatest crime films in history.
Philadelphia
Starring Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks, Philadelphia is one of the most touching movies about societal attitudes to AIDS. It tells the story of Andrew Beckett (Hanks), a man who was fired by his employer for being gay and having AIDs, and enlists the help of attorney Joe Miller (Washington) to sue his former employer. Philadelphia was one of the first mainstream films to address homophobia and HIV/AIDS, as well as one of the first mainstream movies to feature gay people in a positive light. This groundbreaking film is one of the best ever to address the subject matter.
Frozen
Released in 2013, Frozen tells the animated story of Anna and her trusty sidekick Kristoff, attempting to locate and stop her snow queen sister, Elsa (the main antagonist), who's put an icy spell on their kingdom, plunging it into eternal winter. Frozen broke box office records and grossed $1.2 billion worldwide. It's now considered a Disney classic.
Platoon
This heart-wrenching war story stars Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Forrest Whittaker, and Charlie Sheen, in a tale centering around a platoon of soldiers in the Vietnam War. Examining the cost of war on a human level, Platoon is widely considered one of the greatest war movies of all time.
Patton
General George S Patton was an iconic American military figure during WWII. Leading by example (from the front), the master military tactician is shown in George C Scott in this epic biographical movie from 1970. Patton was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress in 2003.
Twentieth Century, Patton (1970)
Frankenstein
This one tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young, ambitious scientist who unleashes the havoc of the eponymous monster on the world after creating a sapient creature during one of his experiments. Based on the Mary Shelley classic novel of the same name from 1818, Frankenstein (1931) is widely considered the best adaptation of the novel and is the first sound-based adaptation of the classic horror novel.
Universal, Frankenstein (1931)
Selma
Selma is a historical drama from 2014 that depicts the 1965 civil rights march from Selma, Alabama to the state capital of Montgomery—a 54-mile journey for freedom undertaken by thousands of marchers. It's considered one of the many turning points of the civil rights movement in the United States. The 2014 movie stars David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr and Tom Wilkinson as President LBJ.
Midsommar
This Norwegian psychological thriller is another mind-bender. A young couple travels to northern Europe to attend a mid-summer festival that's supposed to bring on relaxation and peace—but their visit to Midsommar quickly turns violent and bizarre. While it may take a while to wrap your mind around, Midsommar (2019) was generally well-received by critics and makes our list of great one-word movies.
Extraction
The 2020 war thriller starring Chris Hemsworth tells a compelling story of Tyler Rake, an Australian black ops soldier with nothing to lose, hired by an Indian drug lord to save his kidnapped son in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Rake's fight to extract his paymaster's son quickly turns sour, becoming a battle for the boy's life and his own.
Argo
It is November 4, 1979. Militants have stormed the American embassy in Tehran, taking 66 hostages. Six diplomats manage to escape, seeking refuge with the Canadian ambassador. Telling the gripping true tale of escaping a city under constant threat of discovery and death, Argo (2013) is one of the best movies produced about the Iranian Revolution and its aftermath.
Amadeus
Amadeus (1984) is a musical epic that tells a fictionalized account of the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, featuring a fictional rivalry between Mozart and Antonio Salieri at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor. Grossing $90 million and receiving nominations for multiple Academy Awards, Amadeus is considered one of the best pieces of fiction surrounding the life of one of history's greatest composers.
Avatar
Finally, one of the highest-grossing movies of all time and one of the greatest epic movies ever, Avatar (2009) is directed by James Cameron and tells the story of the cost of human colonization through a futuristic lens, as humans attempt to colonize the fictional world of Pandora—and its inhabitants fight back. A full-spectrum analysis of human greed, colonialism, capitalism, and climate change, Avatar broke records left and right and has led to five sequels.
Twentieth Century, Avatar (2009)
Phffft
Even Google thinks I'm misspelling something, but I'm not—Phffft (1954) was the name given a movie starring Jack Lemmon, Judy Holliday, and Jack Carson, telling the story of a formerly-married couple who continuously run into each other while pursuing new romantic partners after their divorce. Not exactly a groundbreaking tale, but the movie's title sounds like an exasperated dismissal by a moody teenager. It was "Phffft" alright.
There you have it! Our list of the best movies with one-word titles. Can you think of any we missed along the way? Drop them in the comments and mind the word count.
