The Top 250 Movies of all Time

The best movies of all time, as according to IMDb's user ratings

Top 250 Movies of all Time (as according to IMDb's overall user ratings)

This list is based on IMDb's user ratings, as IMDb is the most authoritative movie sourcing website on the internet, and having been an avid user of the website it has become ever-so clear that more than often the users' overall rating tends to be the right one.

It is difficult to collect a list of the greatest movies of all time, as we all have our preferences when it comes to our favourite genres, our favourite actors, our favourite directors, and our favourite film studios. This is why it is a thing of beauty to have a fair way of determining which the greatest movies of all time are, that of course being by using IMDb's overall user rating scores to determine the rankings.

So without further ado, here's the best movies of all time (as according to IMDB's user scores).

Top 250 Movies Countdown

250. In the Mood for Love (2000)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

249. Le Samourai (1967)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

248. Prisoners (2013)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

247. The Hustler (1961)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

246. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

245. Papillon (1973)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

244. The Graduate (1967)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

243. Roman Holiday (1953)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

242. The Big Sleep (1946)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

241. Jurassic Park (1993)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

240. The Help (2011)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

239. The Road (1954)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

238. Castle in the Sky (1986)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

237. The Truman Show (1998)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

236. A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

235. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

234. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

233. Barry Lyndon (1975)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

232. Memories of Murder (2003)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

231. La Haine (1995)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

230. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

229. The Battle of Algiers (1966)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

228. The Night of the Hunter (1955)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

227. Monsters, Inc. (2001)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

226. Rocky (1976)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

225. Ip Man (2008)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

224. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

223. Fanny and Alexander (1982)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

222. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

221. The King's Speech (2010)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

220. Groundhog Day (1993)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

219. Notorious (1946)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

218. The Terminator (1984)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

217. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

216. Before Sunrise (1995)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

215. Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

214. High Noon (1952)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

213. Jaws (1975)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

212. Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

211. Stalker (1979)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

210. Twelve Monkeys (1995)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

209. Infernal Affairs (2002)

IMDb Rating: 8.0

208. Shutter Island (2010)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

207. 8 1/2 (1963)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

206. Strangers on a Train (1951)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

205. Birdman (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

204. Donnie Darko (2001)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

203. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

202. Gandhi (1982)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

201. The Avengers (2012)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

200. Nausea of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

199. The Imitation Game (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

198. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

197. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

196. Persona (1966)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

195. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

194. Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

193. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

192. The 400 Blows (1959)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

191. Amores Perros (2000)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

190. In the Name of the Father (1993)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

189. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

188. Sin City (2005)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

187. Dil Chahta Hai (2001)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

186. Ben-Hur (1959)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

185. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

184. Stand by Me (1986)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

183. The Princess Bride (1987)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

182. Annie Hall (1977)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

181. There Will Be Blood (2007)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

180. Diabolique (1955)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

179. Touch of Evil (1958)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

178. 12 Years a Slave (2013)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

177. Network (1979)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

176. Life of Brian (1979)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

175. Platoon (1986)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

174. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

173. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

172. Incendies (2010)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

171. Mary and Max (2009)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

170. No Country for Old Men (2007)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

169. Finding Nemo (2003)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

168. The Thing (1982)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

167. Hotel Rwanda (2004)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

166. The Wages of Fear (1953)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

165. The Sixth Sense (1999)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

164. Dial M for Murder (1954)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

163. The Maltese Falcon (1941)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

162. Rush (2013)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

161. Into the Wild (2007)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

160. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

159. Boyhood (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

158. Gone with the Wind (1939)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

157. Trainspotting (1996)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

156. Fargo (1996)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

155. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

154. It Happened One Night (1934)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

153. Cool Hand Luke (1967)

IMDb Rating: 8.1

152. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

151. The Deer Hunter (1978)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

150. Rang De Basanti (2006)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

149. Rebecca (1940)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

148. V for Vendetta (2005)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

147. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

146. Warrior (2011)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

145. The Big Lebowski (1998)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

144. Gran Torino (2008)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

143. A Wednesday (2008)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

142. Casino (1995)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

141. The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

140. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

139. The General (1926)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

138. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

137. Gone Girl (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

136. Blade Runner (1982)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

135. Wild Strawberries (1957)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

134. Ran (1985)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

133. The Elephant Man (1980)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

132. Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

131. Ikiru (1952)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

130. The Gold Rush (1925)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

129. The Bandit (1996)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

128. The Seventh Seal (1957)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

127. My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

126. Good Will Hunting (1997)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

125. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

124. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

123. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

122. Heat (1995)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

121. On the Waterfront (1954)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

120. The Hunt (2012)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

119. Die Hard (1988)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

118. The Great Escape (1963)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

117. Downfall (2004)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

116. Chinatown (1974)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

115. Up (2009)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

114. 3 Idiots (2009)

IMDb Rating: 8.2

113. Raging Bull (1980)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

112. Scarface (1983)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

111. Unforgiven (1992)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

110. Metropolis (1927)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

109. Like Stars on Earth (2007)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

108. Batman Begins (2005)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

107. Yojimbo (1961)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

106. The Third Man (1949)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

105. A Separation (2011)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

104. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

103. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

102. Some Like It Hot (1959)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

101. Toy Story (1995)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

100. Inglorious Basterds (2009)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

99. The Apartment (1960)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

98. All About Eve (1950)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

97. L.A. Confidential (1997)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

96. The Kid (1921)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

95. Rashomon (1950)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

94. For a Few Dollars More (1965)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

93. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

92. Snatch. (2000)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

91. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

90. Amadeus (1984)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

89. Bicycle Thieves (1948)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

88. The Sting (1973)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

87. Singin' in the Rain (1952)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

86. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

85. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

84. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

83. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

82. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

81. Requiem for a Dream (2000)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

80. Double Indemnity (1944)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

79. Braveheart (1995)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

78. Taxi Driver (1976)

IMDb Rating: 8.3

77. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

76. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

75. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

74. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

73. Toy Story 3 (2010)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

72. Princess Mononoke (1997)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

71. Oldboy (2003)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

70. Das Boot (1981)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

69. M (1931)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

68. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

67. Amelie (2001)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

66. Vertigo (1958)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

65. Citizen Kane (1941)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

64. Aliens (1986)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

63. North by Northwest (1959)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

62. WALL-E (2008)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

61. American Beauty (1999)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

60. Paths of Glory (1957)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

59. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

58. The Shining (1980)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

57. Cinema Paradiso (1988)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

56. Django Unchained (2012)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

55. The Lives of Others (2006)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

54. The Lion King (1994)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

53. The Great Dictator (1940)

IMDb Rating: 8.4

52. The Prestige (2006)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

51. Alien (1979)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

50. Back to the Future (1985)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

49. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

48. Sunset Blvd. (1950)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

47. Gladiator (2000)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

46. Apocalypse Now (1979)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

45. The Departed (2006)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

44. The Pianist (2002)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

43. The Green Mile (1999)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

42. Memento (2000)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

41. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

40. Modern Times (1936)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

39. The Intouchables (2011)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

38. Rear Window (1954)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

37. Whiplash (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

36. Psycho (1960)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

35. Spirited Away (2001)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

34. City Lights (1931)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

33. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

32. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

31. American History X (1998)

IMDb Rating: 8.5

30. Casablanca (1942)

IMDb Rating: 8.6

29. Life Is Beautiful (1997)

IMDb Rating: 8.6

28. Leon: The Professional (1994)

IMDb Rating: 8.6

27. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

IMDb Rating: 8.6

26. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

IMDb Rating: 8.6

25. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

IMDb Rating: 8.6

24. The Usual Suspects (1995)

IMDb Rating: 8.6

23. Se7en (1995)

IMDb Rating: 8.6

22. City of Gods (2002)

IMDb Rating: 8.6

21. Interstellar (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.7

20. Seven Samurai (1954)

IMDb Rating: 8.7

19. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

IMDb Rating: 8.7

18. The Matrix (1999)

IMDb Rating: 8.7

17. Goodfellas (1990)

IMDb Rating: 8.7

16. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

IMDb Rating: 8.7

15. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

IMDb Rating: 8.7

14. Inception (2010)

IMDb Rating: 8.7

13. Forrest Gump (1994)

IMDb Rating: 8.7

12. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

IMDb Rating: 8.7

11. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

IMDb Rating: 8.8

10. Fight Club (1999)

IMDb Rating: 8.8

9. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

IMDb Rating: 8.9

8. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

IMDb Rating: 8.9

7. Schindler's List (1993)

IMDb Rating: 8.9

6. 12 Angry Men (1957)

IMDb Rating: 8.9

5. Pulp Fiction (1994)

IMDb Rating: 8.9

4. The Dark Knight (2008)

IMDB Rating: 8.9

3. The Godfather: Part II (1974)

IMDb Rating: 9.0

2. The Godfather (1972)

IMDb Rating: 9.2

1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

IMDb Rating: 9.2

We're sure that you must have seen a few of your favourite flicks whilst scrolling through IMDb's highest scored (movie) user ratings. But the real question stands, which is... was your favourite movie of all time listed above? Leave your answer in the comments box below.

The 7 Must Watch Movies and TV Shows on Netflix UK this February

February has some surprisingly great new additions to keep you warm, cosy and all snuggled up on your couch through those cold evenings watching Netflix

Kevin Spacey is back this February in season 3 of House of Cards

We are already on the 21st February, but I felt it was important that there was a list uploaded of the best movies and TV shows which have, and are still due to come out on Netflix UK this February.

This list contends of both movies and TV shows, all of which we have seen for ourselves, other than those listed which have not yet been released onto the service, however, we feel confident are deserving of their place on this list.

Netflix is an ever-changing service with a catalogue of movies and TV shows, varying of genres, age certificates and quality in their making, but one things for sure, that of course being that each and every month has its surprises.

Without further ado, here are the 7 best movies and TV shows which have, and are to be released onto Netflix UK this February. Along with 3 honourable mentions.

The 7 Greatest Movies and TV Shows on Netflix UK - February 2015

7. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

Release Date - Friday 13th February

source: katejohns619.wordpress.com (CC image)

A Disney classic addition to Netflix UK selection of Disney's back-catalogue of classic animated feature films. The 90's were jam packed with great Disney animations, and sure enough this is one of those greats, making it a must watch for the whole family.

6. This Is 40 (2012)

Release Date - Tuesday 24th February

Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann in the spin-off to "Knocked Up"

You liked Knocked Up (2007), well here's the spin-off to the hilarious comedy, focusing on the life of  Pete and Debbie who are both about to turn 40 and their lives are falling apart in a series of ways.

A very funny comedy, fakes to the genius comedy director Judd Apatow, who has both written and directed the movie. It is also well led by the two lead actors; Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann who play husband and wife in this must watch comedy. If you remember watching Knocked Up and liked the pair in the smaller roles in that movie, then you're gonna' love them in them in this movie focusing on the same characters.

5. Frank (2014)

Release Date - Sunday 1st February

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An unusually brilliant comedy with singing from Michael Fassbender, that's right, just another thing that Fassbender can tick off his list of his versatility as an actor. The movie follows a group of musicians, all of which are as mad as the other, but it all somehow seems to work.

There are some absolutely hilarious scenes, making the whole movie worth the while, but do remember that Michael Fassbender will not be too easy to place in the movie as he plays a character who always wears a fake head throughout the entire movie. Although, this doesn't affect Fassbender's ability to perfect his performance as the lead character, Frank.

4. Calvary (2014)

Release Date - Thursday 12th February

source: thefilmstage.com (CC image)

Brendan Gleeson is a fitting, but interesting priest in this must see drama directed by John Michael McDonagh (directed The Guard, 2011). It is set in Ireland, an eye catching place as we get some great shots of the Irish coast, perfectly in suit with the mood of the movie.

The mystery behind the psychopath who threatens the priest (Brendan Gleeson) remains a complete mystery right up until the end of the movie, leaving a tasty climax to a beautifully crafted movie that you'll want to see again. Plus, there were oddly a funny scene, or two, which I was't expecting in a seemingly serious drama, which to be clear it is.

3. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Release Date - Sunday 8th February

source: thelongroombar.co.uk (CC image)

The true story behind how the US government found and killed the al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, which stretches over a decade since the hunt first took place.

Jessica Chastain steals the screen as the lead is this must see movie, based on the true story that everyone is eager to know about. If you are one of those people, then make sure to catch this movie whilst it is streaming on Netflix UK.

2. House of Cards (season 3)

Release Date - Friday 27th February

source: venturebeat.com (CC image)

Everyones latest obsession TV show obsession with Netflix continues late February as the House of Cards sees its third season added to the mix for viewing, when and where you please.

Kevin Spacey's back as the US congressman that we can't get enough of as Francis Underwood. Enough said!

1. Better Call Saul (season 1)

Release Date - Monday 9th February
Episodes - 2 (and another released every Tuesday following the series release)

source: uproxx.com (CC image)

In the spotlight this month is the prequel to everyones old, or possibly current favourite TV show on Netflix, that of course being Breaking Bad. This time around however we are leaving behind Walter and Jesse, and instead following Jimmy McGill (aka Saul Goodman) as he struggles to stay afloat as a small time lawyer in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The series is a lot of fun to watch, as we get to see just how good Jimmy McGill is as lawyer, and the series will sure get a few laughs as it isn't afraid to be a hoot, as well as telling a serious story.


Do you agree with our list? Are there any movies or TV shows that we have missed from the list? Leave your answer in the comments box below.

The 7 Greatest Scary Horror Movies Since 28 Days Later

Listing the greatest scary movies since 2002's 28 Days Later, making this more of a list of the 21st Century's greatest scary movies

The Greatest Scary Movies of the 21st Century

Horror movies play a large role in the movie industry, although, sadly they do not get the same level of box office success as the action, romance and family genres. However, where they may not have the same level of income as the other genres, they make up for this by being the adrenaline rides that you cannot get from any other film genre.

We have seen many scary horror movies from the genre as a whole, spreading from the early days of film-making, right up until the present day, however, it is todays horror movies which are a class above all of the others. This is due to them having the capability of scaring the socks of anyone, no matter how fearless they claim to be, as there is always one horror film which will do the trick of frightening them.

The 21st Century has delivered audiences some of the scariest horror movies ever to set foot on the big-screen, from film-makers like Sam Raimi, the director of "Drag Me to Hell" (2009), being a scary movie, to the horror-remakes like "Friday the 13th" (2009) and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (2010), which were a couple of good Friday night popcorn scare-fests. However, none of these horror movies have made the cut on this list, even though they were frightful, each in their own way.

Today's horror movies are scarier than they have ever been before, being the driving force behind our need to create this list of the 7 best, along with 3 honourable mentions. The list is as follows.

The 7 Greatest Scary Movies Countdown

7. Wolf Creek (2004)

source: moviepilot.com (CC image)

A haunting horror movie, as backpackers out in the Australian outback fall prey to a dangerous bushman who takes them captive. The fact alone that the backpackers have no immediate help anywhere around them as they are taken captive by an armed bushman with a taste for hunting down helpless victims, makes the movie difficult to watch at times.

Secondly, the terrifying ruthlessness of the bushman as he captures the backpackers is unnerving, adding to the difficulty in watching the movie as the thrills begin to take place. Certainly not a movie to be watched alone, as you'll be given your first reason through visual aid for as to why you shouldn't ever go backpacking in the Australian outback.

6. Sinister (2012)

source: qmsu.org (CC image)

Ethan Hawke is brilliant as Ellison Oswalt, a struggling non-fictional crime writer who finds himself living in a house with a sinister history, which slowly unravels as Oswalt looks into the murder which took place in the house that himself and his family are currently living in. Creepy, we know.

The evil lurking within the house is unsettling to say the least, worsened as the days light fades and Oswalt does his research into the murder, so that he can begin writing his book telling the true story of what happened.

The scares will make you jump as the movie masters the mix of being a terrifying horror, thriller and mystery film. The movie focuses on Ethan Hawkes character, Oswalt, being a fitting decision as it allows the audience to delve deeper with the character into the mystery of the murder which took place in the house, and just who the murderer might have been.

5. The Conjuring (2013)

source: en.wikipedia.org (CC image)

A magnificent directorial piece by James Wan, the director behind Insidious and Insidious: Part II, as it jumps into a terrifying story of a haunted house and the family currently residing in the residence. This causes the family to seek help from paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, who are tasked with ridding the dark presence from the family's farmhouse.

Start to finish, the movie is terrifyingly structured, not that this is too much of a surprise as James Wan has proven that he can bring the scares into a horror movie. The paranormal presence in the seemingly normal farmhouse is chilling to the bone, due to the effective use of darkness as a weapon for the ghosts to scare and terrify the family. Worsened by the fact that the family is stuck in the house, as they cannot afford to leave the house, making it all the more dreading as the movie progresses forward.

4. Insidious (2010)

source: mercuryrapids.co.uk (CC images)

The movie is one of the scariest, if not the scariest paranormal activity movie ever made, as it takes advantage of humans natural fear of death, and has an unusual storyline which is unlike any other horror movie on the market. The effective use of the right music sets the mood for this tense, edge of your seat horror movie which will remind you why you were once scarred of dark rooms.

Just another horror movie that you'd be a fool to watch alone, as it takes you back to all of your childhood fears, being a triumphant effort as far we are concerned in creating an entertaining, but scary horror movie.

3. The Descent (2005)

source: popmatters.com (CC image)

When a caving expedition goes wrong, the explorers find themselves trapped deep into the caves, but the real danger comes when the group are hunted by a strange breed of predators.

This was the last movie that we were expecting to be scary, let alone make it onto this list of the scariest horror movies of the 21st Century (so far). Although, doubts aside, this is one of the scariest and best put together horror movies that we have seen in a long time, especially because of the well executed moments of fear as the explorers wonder deep into an isolated forest, and then into a desolate cave, which let and behold is the residence for a strange, unknown breed of predators.

The movie really brings home the fact that the explorers are all alone, plus, all of the explorers are women, which we feel helped make the movie feel that bit more scary. To watch this movie alone, would mean the result of having nightmares for the next week.

2. Dawn of the Dead (2004)

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This is Zack Snyder's directorial feature film debut, which we guess is something special, to add on top of this that the movie was a complete success, if the success can be determined by the fear-omiter, as we feel that if this is the case the fear-omiter will be going through the roof, meaning a complete success for the director.

Movie remakes get a bad wrap these days, in part because of the large number of horrendous movie remakes that we saw released on a regular basis, but this movie is far from that statistic, as it has all of the elements of what makes a great movie and much more.

This is the movie that added to the viral takeover of the zombie, horror sub-genre, being that it was that good of a movie. Snyder set out to create a movie remake which would be worthy of the big-screen, and wound up creating one of the scariest, zombie infested horror movies of all time. This is the movie that will make you look twice at the news every morning just to make sure that the world hasn't been consumed by a zombie outbreak whilst you were peacefully sleeping.

1. The Ring (2002)

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All that we can think to say after watching this movie is, "thank god that VHS's have been wiped off the face of the earth". Wondering what we mean by this, then just watch the movie, and for those who've already seen the movie, you'll know what we mean.

If you're wondering what Gore Verbinski was doing before he directed Pirates of the Caribbean, well he directed this psychologically tormenting, mystery, horror, which will leave you wanting to watch cartoons before you go to sleep. Yes, it was just that scary.

Honourable Mentions

- 28 Weeks Later (2007)

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Following straight on from where the first (28 Days Later) left off, Britain is now being cleared up, as the American government has sent soldiers to deal with the aftermath operation, which is now safe to do as the zombies have died of starvation. A realistic look into what the world would look like after a zombie outbreak has taken place, but this time around the zombie outbreak has been taken under control, or at least for the time being that is. The zombie pandemic soon starts up again after an unfortunate situation happens, resulting in another survival story, as two young siblings, a medical officer and a US military officer go on the run to escape the zombies which now flood the streets, yet again.

A terrifyingly realistic look at a future where a zombie outbreak has taken place, and the aftermath of the horrific battle between man and the living undead. The zombies are scary in all of their form, making it a feel of deep pain for the survivors, and the less fortunate eaten (by zombies) survivors.

- The Strangers (2008)

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When a couple are alone in a house in the middle of nowhere they are terrorised by 3 mysterious psychopaths, and it is easy whilst watching the movie to feel the distress and fear that the couple are having to go through as the living nightmare begins.

Every scene is an attempt to push the fear further into the couple, and the use of a single location for the majority of the movie's filming was a smart move, as it allowed more time for the couple's terror to escalate. A mastered horror movie, focusing primarily on the couple in the house and the 3 lingering psychopaths.

- The Grudge (2004)

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Another great movie remake which is added to our list, due to its ability to take a simple storyline and make it a movie that you won't forget too soon, mostly due to the jumps and unexpected scares that the movie provides throughout its duration.

The movie's storyline has an edge of darkness to it, even before the creepy appearances start happening of the previous inhabitants of the house where the creepy events took place. A must-watch for any true-horror fan, as it doesn't disappoint.


Do you agree with our list? Are there any movies that we have missed from the list? Leave your answer in the comments box below.

The 7 Greatest Spy Movies Since The Bourne Identity

Listing the greatest spy movies since 2002's The Bourne Identity, making this more of a list of the 21st Century's greatest spy movies

Spy movies have been around for as long as the movie business, and for the entirety of this time it has been changing with every decade that passes with the sub genre getting better with every new spy flick release.

The 20th Century is jam-packed with cheesy spy movies, mostly Bond movies, but that isn't to say that they weren't entertaining, as for a fact, Bond movies have become a British national treasure.

In the cross-over from the 20th Century to the 21st Century, we saw in the early 2000's a new spy movie, focusing on a loose CIA agent being hunted down by the CIA and local law enforcement (wherever he goes), The Bourne Identity, which rivals Bond for the spot as the number one spy series of all time. That of course being due to "The Bourne" seeing multiple sequels since the original was released back in 2002, making it a near perfect fitting for the starting point for our list.

Today's spy movies are more thrilling, more realistic, and more commercially credible than they have ever been before, which is why we have decided to honour them by creating a list of the 7 best, along with 3 honourable mentions.The list is as follows.

The 7 Greatest Spy Movies Countdown

7. Hanna (2011)

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This isn't your typical spy movie, although based around the usual shenanigans of the CIA with a loose project on their hands that they want to terminate before it can cause the agency any embarrassment.

This isn't your typical spy movie as it follows the amazing abilities of a young teenage girl who seemingly is just your normal teenage girl, that is until you see her kill like a well-trained professional assassin and escape difficult, near impossible situations like a well-trained professional assassin. Hence, its unusualness as a spy movie.

This may sound like an odd choice for a spy, but as this young teenage assassin's past unveils and truths are spilled later in the story's foretelling, it all begins to make sense, and surprisingly enough you'll want to watch the movie for a second time just to make sure that you understood all that had happened.

6. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)

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An interesting look into British espionage during the cold war, which had me on the edge of my seat for the entire duration of the movie. This surprisingly very rarely happens in all of my time watching movies.

This is the type of spy movie that has subtle spurts of humour which you'll either appreciate or lack to see, but if you do meet the humour with welcome arms then this will layer the enjoyment throughout the movie, as it did for myself.

Although, clearly not a comedy, as the movie edges into extreme suspense and mystery as the plot thickens and clues are thrown at you with every turn. A well-mastered movie, which was truly helped by strong acting performances from Gary Oldman, John Hurt, Mark Strong and other key cast members in this must-see spy, mystery, thriller.

5. In Bruges (2008)

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Martin McDonagh has produced a masterpiece with his directorial movie début of "In Bruges", as it is one of the funniest comedies ever produced, as well as subsequently being one of the best spy movies ever produced.

The dialogue, the acting performances, the flow from scene-to-scene, none of it can be faulted. The very fact alone that there were not a whole lot of key cast members in this feature film should make it a little concerning, but in seeing the movie it becomes clear that this was a deliberate effort that makes the movie such an ingenious creation.

The key actors; Colin Farrell (finally using his Irish accent), Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes were all perfectly cast for their roles in this instant comedy, spy classic. This is one movie that once seeing it, will make you ask yourself why you hadn't thought to watch it before.

4. Skyfall (2012)

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After "Quantum of Solace" no-one was quite sure what to expect as it put the bar so low, Bond fans were simply hoping for a Bond movie that wouldn't leave them staring at their watches every 10 minutes.

Thankfully, the sequel to the Bond movie ("Quantum of Solace") that left us all questioning the future of the Bond franchise, was more than anyone could have ever asked for. The direction was clear, the acting performances were intense, the storyline was gripping, and best of all we finally had a Bond villain worthy of the title.

Little to say, the movie grossed worldwide more than a billion dollars, the villain was unforgettable, Daniel Craig reprised his role as Bond, and the storyline was the best that we have seen so far from a Bond movie.

3. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

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Just when you thought a Bourne movie couldn't get any better, The Bourne Identity received a sequel that followed straight-on from where the first left off and their was more action, more car chases, and we saw more of Jason Bourne avoiding capture (and death) from the CIA.

(Spoiler ahead) Marie is killed and this turned out to be a key reason for the movies intense excitement and adrenaline rushing intensity, as it was due to her death that Bourne was left with nothing to lose, enabling him to act in a more ruthless manor where before he couldn't risk death quite as often because of Marie.

Karl Urban, playing the assassin on the hunt to kill Jason Bourne was a brilliant addition to the sequel, because he had the ruthless feel of a professional assassin that gets the job done, no matter what the outcome.

An important development to the sequel which begs to be mentioned is the change in directors from Doug Liman (directed The Bourne Identity) to Paul Greengrass for the directing of The Bourne Supremacy is that Greengrass was capable of taking the events and directing style of Liman and keep the flow going, and the intensity of the quick pace from the first to produce a great sequel.

2. Taken (2008)

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When a retired CIA agent's daughter is kidnapped in a foreign country by traffickers, he must use his specific set of skills to get her back in this fast-paced movie proving the love that a father has for his child and the lengths that he will go to in order to get them back (helped by the fact that he has the skills of a CIA super-spy).

A heart-wrenching storyline which is expertly pulled-off by the directorial efforts of Pierre Morel, who brings the whole movie to life. Supported by the expert acting performance from Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills, the ex-CIA agent in pursuit of his daughters captors.

This is a spy movie which was overlooked by the majority of potential audiences on its release into movie theatres, due to most people being unaware of its raw magnitude as a spy movie. That being said it did gross worldwide $227 million on a $25 million production budget, but it would hardly be surprising that had potential audiences known of how great that the movie was going to be that it could have had a worldwide gross surpassing the $500 million mark.

1. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

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Again, following straight where the previous instalment led-off, "The Bourne Ultimatum" is the sequel to "The Bourne Supremacy", once again directed by Paul Greengrass who seems to be getting better with every Bourne release, as this third Bourne instalment has to be the best so-far.

Matt Damon has matured as the Jason Bourne character, Greengrass has taken the series to a new level, and the entire movie screamed impressive from the very moment the first scene began.

The most exciting part about "The Bourne Ultimatum" for myself is that it signified that the Bourne series was the first spy series that could rival the Bond franchise, leaving each of them fighting for audiences' undivided attention.

The Bourne Ultimatum exceeded our expectations for as to what could be achieved with a single spy movie, in turn taking the Bourne series to a whole new level, proving that it wasn't going to recycle old rubbish done in previous spy movies, but instead go in its own direction. On top of that also staying true to the Bourne books which were written by Robert Ludlum, which is the real reason that we have the Bourne movie series out to view today.

Honourable Mentions

- Casino Royale (2006)

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The first Bond instalment to star Daniel Craig as James Bond, and what a Bond movie that it was, taking the Bond movies for the first time in a serious, 21st century direction. A great Bond movie, however, it did lack excitement at times as it felt a little slow going- here and there, which is why it didn't make the cut for the greatest spy movies list.

However, it does receive an honourable mention, if nothing else, for taking the Bond movies in a serious direction for the first time.

- Red (2010)

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As far as action, comedies go this is a pretty great movie, especially since it focused on the spy elements that we all love so much, that of course in this case being the CIA.

Bruce Willis does his usual, playing the serious, down to earth ex-CIA agent which is likeable in every way possible, then there's John Malkovich who plays an extremely funny ex-CIA agent who seems to be a little nervous in gun fights, Morgan Freeman once again doing his usual, and some other impressive cast members.

Ignoring the cast members, the story is brilliant, however, it does feel a little recycled, but that's soon forgotten after all of the hilarious moments which make up the entire movie. This is one Bruce Willis movie which you are going to like.

- Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

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Another Doug Liman (also directed The Bourne Identity) movie to make it onto our list, even if it's only the honourable mentions, as this movie took something which could have wound up being a typical spy movie, but winds up being an original romantic, comedy, action, spy movie which you'll have to laugh at.

The chemistry between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (the two key cast members) makes the movies all the more believable, mixed with Vince Vaughn's fairly small, yet equally as important role as the idiotic (but brilliantly funny) best friend and co-worker of John Smith (Brad Pitt's character).


Do you agree with our list? Are there any movies that we have missed from the list? Leave your answer in the comments box below.

The 7 Greatest Western Movies Since Open Range

Listing the greatest westerns since 2003's Open Range, making this more of a list of the 21st Century's greatest westerns

The Greatest Western Movies of the 21st Century
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Western movies were once Hollywood's biggest hits, but since the age of modern action flicks took over the westerns have taken a back seat. However, westerns are still around, just not released as often as the glory days where every year would be another western year at the box office. 

This list focuses on the 21st Century western movies that we have seen release into movie theatres since the release of Open Range in 2003, which is arguably one of the greatest western movies of the 2000's.

Moving forward since Open Range we have seen some great western movies which have shaken contemporary audiences away from the typical action flick and into something a little different.

Western movies are a welcomed delight these days, especially since they are not released all that often, and when they are we take especial pride in watching them as we aren't always that shore when the next will see the light of day.

Today's western movies are something special, which is why we have decided to honour them by creating a list of the 7 best, along with 3 honourable mentions. The list is as follows.

The 7 Greatest Western Movies Countdown

7. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

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A long but worth while watching movie which managed to craft a very good story into a duration which some would deem as too long. We think otherwise, as the movie was invigorating to watch with stars shining throughout with the likes of Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck, both of which taking front-line roles in the movie.

The title is lengthy but certainly sums-up the entire movie, which given the highly intoxicating feel throughout the viewing makes for little surprise for how the movie concludes. It is the gripping and in-depth storyline that makes this movie such a good viewing, especially since there are a whole lot of outlaws involved, and there is nothing better to watch in a western than outlaws committing unlawful acts. 

6. There Will Be Blood (2007)

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Personally, when entering in to watching this movie I had no idea as to what the story for the movie was about, but what I did believe before seeing the movie was that based on the title there would be a whole lot of blood, in the form of gun slinging violence and what not. However, this was not the case, but to my surprise the whole lack of violence throughout the movie made it such an entertaining viewing with real life struggles, so powerful, mostly because of Daniel Day-Lewis's Oscar winning performance.

Who knew that watching the early days of digging for oil could be so darn interesting, well we can all thank Paul Thomas Anderson for directing this stunning masterpiece and Daniel Day-Lewis for being such as darn good actor.

This certainly isn't the first movie that comes to mind when thinking about western movies, but that doesn't change the fact that it is one of the greatest western movies ever produced, not just in the 21st Century but of all time. 

5. True Grit (2010)

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The Coen brothers never cease to amaze in Hollywood and True Grit is a perfect example of where the pair of seemingly unmatched directors have amazed audiences, including myself, into wanting to watch another western movie again and again (and I only watch good-to-great movies more than once).

True Grit is a remake of a classic and this is one remake you'll want to watch, possibly more-so than the original. True Grit is a modern masterpiece which plays true to the original, is gritty as we'd all expected it to be, and had the feeling of a Coen brothers movie all throughout (again, as expected).

Starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin, this should be a clear indicator to just how great this movie is as they have all been perfectly cast to the right roles. I would even go as far as to say that this may arguably be the greatest movie that the Coen brothers have ever directed to-date.

4. Django Unchained (2012)

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With a storyline as powerful as this one, who better to lead the way than Jamie Foxx, who as per usual gives a breathtaking performance. Supported by Leonardo DiCaprio and Christoph Waltz this was only ever going to be a must-watch movie, subsequently entering into the hall of fame for being one of the greatest westerns ever produced.

As Quentin Tarantino was directing of course there would be bloody violence throughout, but in the case of this movie it added extra extremity to a time where extremity would have been the reality of life for a lot of people. Tarantino has brought to audiences another all-time great movie which will be watched by people generations from now. It is just that great.

3. Rango (2011)

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It is the modern day time for humans in this animated feature film, however, for lizards and other desert animals it is the wild west era, and what a great movie it is. Gore Verbinski (director) has done a good job at taking a simple idea and turning it into a movie that shall long be known as the greatest animated western movie ever produced in Hollywood (or anywhere else in the world).

Animated westerns, as with live-action westerns, do not come around all that often, which is why this was an interesting release to say the least, and since it was such a entertaining movie, it is given all the more credit. 

2. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

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A modern western masterpiece remake unlike any other modern western movie out for viewing today. The action is plentiful, the shoot-outs are one hundred percent perfection, and the outlaws are hunting down the law-keepers to find their gang leader. 

This is a tense, action-filled western remake which ticks all of the right boxes for what you'd be looking for in a modern western movie. The movie is well-directed, has some of the best acting performances from some of Hollywood's biggest stars, and the movie flows near harmoniously.

I would even go as far as to say that this movie receives one of the best performances of both Christian Bale and Russell Crowe's careers, which is saying something considering the amount of great movies that the two actors regularly star in.

1. No Country for Old Men (2007)

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The star of the list is another Coen brothers movie, this one a modern western movie which has all of the elements which create a suspenseful thriller that would go down as being one of the greatest thrillers of all time, on top of being one of the greatest westerns of all time.

The Coen brothers have a nag for directing great westerns from the appearance of things, not to mention the fact that the Coen brothers are well-known for directing timeless thrillers, adding to the pleasure of this movies release. 

Audiences will have gone nuts in the cinemas when watching this movie as it had all of the relevant surprises required, mostly due to Javier Bardem's realistic portrayal as an emotionless hitman, and this performance has shot him into stardom in Hollywood.

The 2000's were blessed with great movies and the 21st Century as a whole has seen some timeless western movie releases which will be watched for a long time to come. No Country for Old Men has one of the most thought provoking titles which were truthful if this movie is anything to go by, and it certainly got audiences wondering more about the endless possibilities for western movies as modern technology allows film-makers to create more realistic movies. One thing is for sure, which is that the Coen brothers are maturing as directors, getting better and better with every new project they partake in.

Honourable Mentions

We were hesitant to make this a short list so that we could emphasise the magnitude that these great westerns had in influencing the genre that sees very few releases today. But to include a few honourable mentions to the list, here are some of the other movies that came to mind when brainstorming for the list.

- The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

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A western both directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones, one of the best recognised faces in Hollywood, and this movie is one of the lesser-known western releases from the 2000's, but no-less worth mentioning in our honourable mentions than the other two.

The audience goes on a journey about friendship and the power of loss, which are well expressed through the acting performances in this memorable western movie.

- The Proposition (2005)

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Another lesser-known western movie from the 2000's which had audiences looking for more in a movie which received some brilliant performances from a recognisable cast of actors. The landscape alone is something magical, along with performances that stick with you even once the movie is long over. 

- Ned Kelly (2003)

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Firstly, it needs to be stated that Ned Kelly is not technically a western movie as it is set in 19th Century Australia, however, it does feel an awful lot like a western movie, so we have made the calculated decision to add it to our honourable mentions.

The movie is one of a controversial one to add to our list (dismissing the fact that technicality would put the movie out of the western genre) because it was not well received by all audience members. However, we would argue that the movie was a fun one which deserves recognition as it was well directed, with some great acting performances and had an entertaining story which we were surprised to see rated so poorly by audiences who've viewed the movie.

Do you agree with our list? Are there any movies that we have missed from the list? Leave your answer in the comments box below.

17 Greatest Superhero Flicks Since X-Men

After the release of X-Men in the year 2000, we began to see a turn of superhero movies flooding onto the big-screen, but which are the best?

The Greatest Superhero Movies of the 21st Century
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Since the release of X-Men (2000), we have begun to see some of the best movies ever made for the action genre, which is what triggered us to gather a list of the best superhero movies since the year 2000 when X-Men, one of our favourite superhero movies was released.

We chose X-Men as a starting point for the list, as it was a turning point for superhero movies, as the 90's was bombarded with terrible and cheesy superhero movies, but with X-Men it began to show that there was hope for the superhero comic adaptations onto the big-screen after all.

The first decade of the 21st Century has been a ground-breaking one for superhero movies, as we have seen the Marvel comic adaptations go strength-to-strength opting for a lighter feel, with plenty of humour (bringing the laughs), an edge of romance and of course, lots of action. Whereas the DC Comic adaptations onto the big-screen have opted for a darker, mysterious, but again, plenty of action. 

The Marvel comic adaptations to the big-screen have gone from having weaker, more predictable villains to having darker, more cunning villains, so there has definitely been a turning point for Marvel studios. However, DC Comics adaptations to the big-screen have darker, more devious villains that have a way of scaring the audience just as much as the victims (fictional characters) of their villainous crimes.

No.1 - The Dark Knight

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To kick-off the list there is the ultimate batman movie, The Dark Knight, the second installment in the Dark Knight trilogy, directed by Christopher Nolan. Our choice in putting this at the top of our list is partly due to our shock and awe in that Christopher Nolan has managed to revitalise the batman franchise with his Dark Knight trilogy. The Dark Knight was a dark, gloomy, but somehow heroic flick, taking Batman, the hero of the story and pinning him up against a devious, haunting "Joker" villain.

However, the star of this movie which brought fans flooding into movie theatres was the villain, Joker (played by Heath Ledger), as he was as entertaining as you might expect (or want) a joker to be, but he was also the perfect psychopathic maniac with a taste for chaos, and the Joker's aim was to reek havoc and chaos upon Gotham city in this sinister Batman sequel.

No.2 - The Avengers (aka The Avengers Assemble)

source: (courtesy of) Marvel Studios

The ultimate superhero force has arrived and they are as bad-ass as individual superheroes as they are as a bad-ass super-team. Including everyone's favourite Marvel superheroes; Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America and the other less-so superheroes. This is a force not be reckoned with, but certainly a force which demands audiences attention, as it truly is the ultimate superhero movie.

Although, we made a calculated decision to put The Avengers second on the list of the top superhero movies as we feel that although the blend of superheroes in the same movie was a good idea, and the fact that it lacked a real sense of danger and possibility that the superheroes might lose, a little too predictable. Not that this effected the entertainment that the movie provided, hence why it has been ranked second on our list. A must-watch for any true superhero comic movie adaptation fan.

No.3 - Iron Man

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Iron Man was the first Marvel superhero movie from the 21st Century that we really found a hint of perfection from, and the choice to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man/Tony Stark was in-genius. Downey Jr. has a charisma that shines through into his character in Iron Man which makes the movie an absolute delight to watch and the story truly played justice to the comic, making Iron Man one of the best superhero movies of all time, not just of the 21st Century (as far).

No.4 - The Incredibles

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Superhero movies have long been created as live-action movies, which no-one can argue as not being good, or even great at times, but when a superhero movie is done in animation it is always going to be interesting. The Incredibles was a fun animated movie produced by Pixar Studios, and who better to create an animated superhero flick that the studio which brought us Toy Story.

What made The Incredibles such a great superhero movie (and a great movie in general) is that they set the movie around a family of superheroes. The dad (the super-strong), the mum (the super-stretchy), the son (the super-fast) and the daughter (the super-invisible) all come together to fight the evil villain, which was an original idea, which worked. The whole movie is non-stop fun and shines the light on real family values and family life, as well as exploiting the superpowers which each of the family members possess throughout the movie.

No.5 -  Batman Begins

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The beginning of the best batman trilogy ever created by DC Comics, which took Batman/Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale) and showed his difficult past and his journey to becoming the superhero that we all know and love.

Christopher Nolan envisioned Gotham city as a dark, gloomy, corrupt city which is run by criminal organisations and every part of the legal system is too corrupt to take hold of the system to bring justice to the city. That is until Bruce Wayne goes on his journey (throughout the movie), training to become a stronger and wiser human being, and when he comes back to Gotham city Bruce Wayne is ready to bring justice to the Gotham, doing so through the face of Batman.

Nolan truly grasped the batman character and all of the elements which made Gotham city what it was and brought it all to the big-screens in a way that brought batman into the 21st Century, with a realistic portrayal (and feel) of what the world that batman lived in would look like, and started the darkest (as of yet) superhero trilogy that we have ever seen, mastering the qualities of a great batman movie.

No.6 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier

source: (courtesy of) Marvel Studios

Captain America has finally got a movie to show-off just how powerful and great-of a superhero he really is. We feel that the first Captain America (Captain America: The First Avenger) film didn't quite fit-in with all of the other Marvel "Avengers" superheroes and all of the superpowers that they have. Whereas this sequel focused on the bad-ass elements of Captain America, which assured us that Captain America wasn't the joke of the "Avengers" team, but rather an adequate leader for the gang of unstoppable ("Avengers") superheroes.

But it was the bad guy that really shone in this sequel to Captain America, as The Winter Soldier (bad guy) was a suitable match to take-on Captain America in the battle for dominance. The twist to The Winter Soldier (that we will not give away) was unexpected and breath-taking, bringing emotion to Captain America which made the whole movie that bit better. Although, it had to have been the fact that the movies story took so many twists and turns that made it so darn enjoyable to watch, but it was the brilliantly perfect bad guy which was the icing on the cake for us.

To further our reassurance for the credibility of the Captain America character, the film-makers have made the wise decision in getting rid of Captain America's light coloured costume and shield, replacing them with darker shades of colour, enabling us (the audience) to take Captain America more seriously as a superhero (and it worked tremendously).

No.7 - Thor

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The Marvel superheroes all have an edge of glorified brilliance and Thor's is unlike any other, as he is an immortal (god to humans) prince from his home-world, however, because of his arrogance he is banished from his home-world and sent to earth along with his hammer (which he is unable to wield), taken from his powers and left with the mortal existence of a human being. This transformation causes some hilarious moments,(spoiler alert) my favourite being when Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth) is in the hospital and has an outburst attacking the staff, until he his finally injected with a drug to put him to sleep. The funny moments continue throughout the movie, although there is always an element of seriousness which is beautifully balanced with the humour.

A fan favourite character in this movie is the bad guy (villain), Loki, who has ambitions to be king (instead of Thor), which causes plenty of friction between Thor and Loki, which again is funny as it is brotherly fighting making it nearly harmless (most of the time).

No.8 - X2: X-Men United

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The X-Men franchise took a turn for the better with this sequel to X-Men (2000), showing more of Wolverine (a fan favourite character), who acts as a guardian for the younger mutants in this sequel. An entertaining X-Men movie which revealed more of Wolverine's past, as throughout the whole movie, we found that all we wanted to see was more of Wolverine, not caring all that much for the other array of characters.

The amount of action in this sequel is the real selling point, but the story is engaging which helped give the movie more substance, but admittedly (as most would agree), without Wolverine this movie would have been flat-out rubbish. That should be saying something.

No.9 - Watchmen

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Zack Snyder's superhero directorial début is a smash hit as far as we're concerned, as all of the different cast of superheroes in this movie are so darned interesting (as well as entertaining). It's a complex and dark viewing, but that was what made it such a delight to watch, but being a superhero-nut when it comes to the action genre, this was a must-see, but it must be admitted that Zack Snyder's "300" made this a must-see for me. The gritty adaptation has all of the elements that make a superhero movie great, but there is no telling what's going to happen unless you see the movie all the way through, again, with this element of unpredictability there is no reason (that we can come up with) that should stop you from wanting to see this movie.

No.10 - Iron Man 3

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The first two Iron Man movies were an absolute triumph, and we've all forgiven Marvel studio's for changing director's on this installment as it was just as entertaining as the first two, and from our surprise the story was gripping, the action was plentiful, and Robert Downey Jr. performed at his best. The villain. Trevor Slattery (played by Ben Kingsley) was the best we have so-far seen in an Iron Man movie, which was a highlight for the movie as-far as we are concerned, and the direction of the movie was well done.

No.11 - The Dark Knight Rises

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As a follow-up to The Dark Knight (2008), it was never going to be a walk in the park to create a sequel to such a floor-less superhero movie with a villain (Joker) that couldn't do-no wrong in audiences books. However, Christopher Nolan wasn't afraid, as he tasked Tom Hardy to play the villain, Bane, who was the first villain to be able to match Batman's strength and seemingly defeat Batman. Causing Batman to have to find back his strength, overcoming an amount of obstacles in doing so, to enable him to save Gotham city from the wrath of Bane, who has plans to annihilate Gotham city.

No.12 - Spider-Man 2

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Spider-Man gets a bad wrap for the disaster which was Spider-Man 3, but we believe that Spider-Man 2 was a great superhero movies with a flaw here and there (although, no movie's perfect). The villain, Dr. Otto Octavius was a match for Spider-Man's powers and had the rough-and-tough exterior which an evil villain needs for audiences to take them seriously, which can be seen in the image above.

No.13 - Man of Steel

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At long last, a Superman movie we can take seriously, and who better to direct a serious Superman movie than Zack Snyder (director of "300" and "Watchmen"), who has proven himself to be a bankable director and an action-genius for the movies. The decision to change the title of the movie from the overused Superman to "Man of Steel" was a nice-call for the DC Comics Studio, as it helped give a fresher feel to the Superman character. Henry Cavill played Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman with real distinction and we've known for some time (at Augustus Worth) that Henry Cavill was going to be a big-shot at Hollywood some day. This is one Superman movie you're going to be proud to have in your stack of DVD's, and are sure to want to watch again and again.

No.14 - X-Men: Days of Future Past

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X-Men's getting better with age, and so is the cast of actors playing the superheroes (mutants), and again the star of this cast is Wolverine (played by Hugh Jackman). The mix in time was an in-genius idea, bringing the cast from X-Men (2000, older mutants) together with the cast from X-Men: First Class (2011, younger mutants), which gives you double the reason to watch this movie (if you haven't done so already). Plus, Bryan Singer returns to direct the sequel which sees Wolverine sent back in time to change history, to prevent doom for both humans and mutants.

No.15 - The Incredible Hulk

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The good "Hulk" movie, at least that's what we're calling it, as this Hulk movie has made the Hulk character look seriously real, and it's all in the facial expressions which were superbly done. The CGI in this movie is something worth the money it takes to see this movie, as the good character (Hulk) and the bad character (Abomination) have the most epic of battles at the end of the movie. Edward Norton played his role Bruce Banner extremely well, as we all knew he would, allowing the whole movie to run smoothly. The tension between Hulk and General Ross is back, and as expected it leaves Bruce Banner spending a lot of the time turning into the 'green' Hulk monster, which at the end of the day is why we all tuned in to watch the movie.

This may have been a more biased choice for this rank in the list, as we're huge fans of the Hulk character, so of course we loved the movie, hence "The Incredible Hulk" making its way onto the list.

No.16 - Kick-Ass

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No necessarily a superhero movie, but the abilities of Hit-Girl (played by Chloe Grace Moretz) and Big Daddy (played by Nicolas Cage) make it feel as though it is. We were stunned by how good this superhero comedy was, as it felt like the ultimate comedy for superhero fans, but the star of the film, Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass (played by Aaron Johnson) was the main attraction in this movie, as his ability to take a beating was hilarious, which sounds a little twisted when put that way.

(Spoiler alert) The best scene in this movie for us, was when Kick-Ass goes to a drug-dealers apartment to sort out a problem for a friend (girl he likes), and just before he can be hurt by the dealers, Hit-Girl comes in and kills all of the dealers in an epically brutal manor. Simply awesome.

No.17 - The Amazing Spider-Man

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The Spider-Man reboot no-one was expecting, especially as it had only been a decade since the original Spider-Man had been done. But, who's complaining. Spider-Man is played by Andrew Garfield, who does a good job at portraying the life of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, which feels entirely different from Tobey Maguire portrayal of the character, so that was a welcomed surprise. The director, Marc Webb did a good job with the movie, having only ever directed one movie, 500 Days of Summer (in a completely different genre), we would have never matched the director with a superhero movie, but there you go, he did well, announcing himself as the director of now the first, second and third Amazing Spider-Man movies (as-far).

The villain, The Lizard/Dr. Curt Connors, was an interesting idea for a villain, and thankfully the character was played by a great British actor, Rhys Ifans, whose portrayal of the villain was flawless (as far as we are concerned). A good storyline, a good superhero and a good villain, what's there not to like.


Is your favourite superhero movie not on this list? Or, do you completely disagree with the rankings on this list? Let us know in the comments box below.