Halliwell's Top 1000: The Ultimate Movie Countdown

A supposedly idyllic weekend trip to the countryside turns into a never-ending nightmare of traffic jams, revolution, cannibalism and murder as French bourgeois society starts to collapse under the weight of its own consumer preoccupations.

In the carefree days before World War I, introverted Austrian author Jules strikes up a friendship with the exuberant Frenchman Jim and both men fall for the impulsive and beautiful Catherine.

A bout de Souffle is Godard’s debut film and a French classic. With this film Godard begins a new style of filming that revolutionized the film industry.

Bonnie and Clyde is based on the true stories of the gangster pair Bonnie Parker and Clyde Parker who in the 1930’s began robbing banks in all the main US cities until they were eventually killed. The film takes on the aesthetical movement of New Hollywood.

Two angels, Damiel and Cassiel, glide through the streets of Berlin, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to the distressed but never interacting with them.

The story of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, an extremely determined man who intends to build an opera house in the middle of a jungle.

In this allegorical story, a revolution lead by pupil Mick Travis takes place at an old established private school in England.

The Wild Bunch is one of the best representations of the Western genre; A group of outlaws is in battle with the law and with modern society.

A fledgling ballerina falls in love with a brilliant composer, but the jealous head of the ballet company plots to drive them apart.

The neurotic New Yorker Woody Allen tells one of the greatest romantic comedies to be set in the city of New York.

Tom loves Sophie and Sophie loves Tom. But Tom and Sophie are of differering classes. Can they find a way through the mayhem to be true to love?

On the Waterfront is a social criticism gangster film from director Elia Kazan, about an ex-boxer, who is part of the corruption of the trade unions for the men working on the waterfront in New York. A film about mob violence that won eight Academy Awards.

West Side Story is the film adaptation of the popular Broadway musical of the same name from directors Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins.

A rebellious, hard-living factory worker juggles relationships with two women, one of whom is married to another man but pregnant with his child.

The Grapes of Wrath is a social drama filmed in 1939 based on the novel by the same name from acclaimed author John Steinbeck.

A humble orphan suddenly becomes a gentleman with the help of an unknown benefactor.

As Garibaldi's troops begin the unification of Italy in the 1860s, an aristocratic Sicilian family grudgingly adapts to the sweeping social changes undermining their way of life.

Told from the perspective of businessman Oskar Schindler who saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his armor factory. Schindler’s list is bases on a true story and is illustrated in black and white and filmed on many original locations which brought much discussions and controversy.

Maciek and Andrzej, two home army fighters, were paired and ordered to kill an incoming communist party cadre. At the hotel where their target's welcoming party is being held. Maciek meets the barmaid Krystyna and the two have a brief, passionate affair, before he is pulled away from this fleeting happiness into his deadly mission.

In this classic French satire, Louis, a convict, escapes from prison and takes on legitimate work, making his way up in the business world. Eventually becoming the head of a successful factory, Louis opts to modernize his company with mechanical innovations.

The 400 Blows is Francois Truffaut’s first feature film about a boy who is misunderstood by his parents causing him to leave them and enter into a life of crime. A powerful film set in Paris that gives a glimpse into Paris life of the 1950’s along with a Jazz soundtrack.

Baisers voles is the second of two films from the ‘Antonie-Doinel-Zyklus’ by French director Truffaut. The film depicts the life of a young twenty year old man who’s life revolves around casual jobs and women, especially young violinist Christine Darbon (Claude Jade's screen-debut).

Bed and Board depicts Christine and Antoine having just gotten married yet things fall apart as they are unfaithful.

In L’Amour en Fuite we witness Antoine Doinel right after his divorce from Christine still not grown up and continuing to flee after their love.

A naive man is appointed to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn't back down.

Mr. Hulot’s Holiday is the classic film from French director Jacques Tati. His second film is a comedy and his most famous.

Two sailors on shore leave rent a car and go on a drive with their dates, but soon get involved in a huge traffic jam with dozens of ill-tempered motorists. A minor collision sets off an escalating series of retaliations.

Stan and Ollie play door-to-door Christmas tree salesmen in California. They end up getting into an escalating feud with grumpy would-be customer James Finlayson, with his home and their car being destroyed in the melee.

Members of a municipal band, Stanley and Oliver seem to be always following someone else's lead, rather than that of the temperamental conductor.

Ollie can't find his hat, much to the amusement of his wife and maid. Then Ollie and Stan attempt to install a rooftop radio antenna.

Stan and Ollie try to hide their pet dog Laughing Gravy from their exasperated, mean tempered landlord, who has a "No Pets" policy.

Ollie's house is a mess after a wild party from the previous night. Ollie receives a telegram from his wife (who is on vacation in Chicago), which tells him that she is returning home in the afternoon. Fearing his wife's wrath he calls Stan over to help him clean up. Things go downhill and they make more mess not less.

The Laurel & Hardy Moving Co. have a challenging job on their hands (and backs): hauling a player piano up a monumental flight of stairs to Prof. von Schwarzenhoffen's house. Their task is complicated by a sassy nursemaid and, unbeknownst to them, the impatient Prof. von Schwarzenhoffen himself.

Although they are successful fishmongers, Stan convinces Ollie that they should become fishermen too, but making a boat seaworthy isn't an easy task.

Stan and Ollie are chimney sweeps working at the home of mad scientist Professor Noodle.

A reworking of elements from the Laurel and Hardy shorts We Faw Down (1928) and Unaccustomed As We Are (1929), Block-Heads was producer Hal Roach's final film for MGM, and was one of Laurel and Hardy's most successful films.

Chinatown is a classic US American film from 1974 Directed by Roman Polanski and starring Jack Nicholson. A plot about a conspiracy of the water and land use in the state of California.

When Princess Leia is taken prisoner by Darth Vader, she sends her two droids on a mission to find an old Jedi Knight. Their paths cross that of Luke Skywalker who, along with Obi Wan Kenobi, Han Solo and Chewbacca, heads off to Alderaan to deliver the droids to the Rebellion.

While Luke takes advanced Jedi training from Yoda, his friends are relentlessly pursued by Darth Vader as part of his plan to capture Luke.

After rescuing Han Solo from the palace of Jabba the Hutt, the Rebels attempt to destroy the Second Death Star, while Luke Skywalker tries to bring his father back to the Light Side of the Force.

Multiple storylined drama set in 1932, showing the lives of upstairs guest and downstairs servants at a party in a country house in England.

Jefferies has had his leg in a cast for weeks and has nothing to do but watch his neighbors from his window. His voyeurism leads him to think that he’s witnessed a murder. Together with his girlfriend Lisa and his nurse Stella they try to solve the mystery and possibly a murder.

A few decades after the destruction of the Inca Empire, a Spanish expedition led by the infamous Aguirre leaves the mountains of Peru and goes down the Amazon River in search of the lost city of El Dorado. When great difficulties arise, Aguirre’s men start to wonder whether their quest will lead them to prosperity or certain death.

The plot couldn't be simpler or its attack on capital punishment (and the act of killing in general) more direct - a senseless...

M.A.S.H. is the heavy war comedy from Robert Altman from 1970 that came out during the Korean war and criticized the American Way of Life.

When a woman dying of cancer in early twentieth-century Sweden is visited by her two sisters, long-repressed feelings between the siblings rise to the surface.

All the President’s Men is a political thriller from director Alan J. Pakula based on the Watergate scandal and starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman.

Rome, 1957. A woman, Cabiria, is robbed and left to drown by her boyfriend, Giorgio. Rescued, she resumes her life and tries her best to find happiness in a cynical world. Even when she thinks her struggles are over and she has found happiness and contentment, things may not be what they seem.

An adventure film about a film crew in search of a monster on a remote island. The crew finds King Kong and decides to take him back to New York as a money making spectacle. The film is a masterpiece of Stop-Motion in filmmaking history and inspired a line of King Kong films.

Gone With The Wind is, when adjusted for inflation, the most successful film of all times and the height of Hollywood studio films.