Empire Top 500

In the November 2008 issue of Empire magazine, 10,000 readers, 50 notable film critics and 150 film makers (including Quentin Tarantino, Sam Mendes, David Fincher, Pedro Almodovar, Mike Leigh, Hans Zimmer, Roger Deakins, Cameron Crowe, Edgar Wright, Julian Fellowes, Kevin Feige and, um, Uwe Boll) all voted for their top 10 movies of all time. The lists were collated, and a supposedly definitive top 500 was compiled. It's clear that the critics and film makers votes were given a slightly heavier weighting than the general public. This does make sense, as they know more about film than the rest of us, but it leads to some obscure choices (I Am Cuba number 112? Personally I'd never heard of it, now I know its terrible).

Films on the list: 500
Films watched: 181
Progress: 36.2%

1              1972       Godfather, The

2              1981       Raiders of the Lost Ark

3              1980       Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

4              1994       Shawshank Redemption, The

5              1975       Jaws

6              1990       Goodfellas

7              1979       Apocalypse Now

8              1952       Singin' in the Rain

9              1994       Pulp Fiction

10           1999       Fight Club

11           1980       Raging Bull

12           1960       Apartment, The

13           1974       Chinatown

14           1968       Once Upon a Time in the West

15           2008       Dark Knight, The

16           1968       2001: A Space Odyssey

17           1976       Taxi Driver

18           1942       Casablanca

19           1974       Godfather Part II, The

20           1982       Blade Runner

21           1949       Third Man, The

22           1977       Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope

23           1985       Back to the Future

24           2001       Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

25           1966       Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The

26           1964       Dr. Strangelove

27           1959       Some Like It Hot

28           1941       Citizen Kane

29           1988       Die Hard

30           1986       Aliens

31           1939       Gone With the Wind

32           1969       Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

33           1979       Alien

34           2003       Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

35           1991       Terminator 2: Judgement Day

36           1969       Andrei Rublev

37           1971       A Clockwork Orange

38           1995       Heat

39           1999       Matrix, The

40           1958       Vertigo

41           1959       400 Blows, The

42           1949       Kind Hearts and Coronets

43           1998       Big Lebowski, The

44           1993       Schindler's List

45           1960       Psycho

46           1954       On the Waterfront

47           1982       E.T. the Extra Terrestrial

48           1984       This is Spinal Tap

49           1987       Evil Dead 2

50           1954       Seven Samurai, The

51           1963       8 ½

52           1980       Shining, The

53           2001       Donnie Darko

54           2002       Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

55           1960       Dolce Vita, La

56           2006       Casino Royale

57           1962       Lawrence of Arabia

58           1940       His Girl Friday

59           1977       Close Encounters of the Third Kind

60           1985       Come and See

61           1995       Usual Suspects, The

62           1967       Graduate, The

63           1950       Sunset Boulevard

64           2003       Oldboy

65           1971       Harold and Maude

66           1990       Edward Scissorhands

67           1953       Tokyo Story

68           1977       Annie Hall

69           1994       Three Colours: Red

70           1986       Stand By Me

71           1955       Night of the Hunter, The

72           1957       12 Angry Men

73           2004       Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

74           1948       Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The

75           1946       A Matter of Life and Death

76           1979       Manhattan

77           1960       Spartacus

78           1968       Rosemary's Baby

79           1998       Thin Red Line, The

80           1943       Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The

81           2005       Batman Begins

82           1963       Great Escape, The

83           1985       Brazil

84           1997       L.A. Confidential

85           1986       Blue Velvet

86           1976       Carrie

87           1983       King of Comedy, The

88           1986       Ferris Bueller's Day Off

89           1999       Magnolia

90           1989       When Harry Met Sally

91           1983       Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

92           1983       Once Upon a Time in America

93           1973       Spirit of the Beehive, The

94           1969       Wild Bunch, The

95           1961       Yojimbo

96           1999       American Beauty

97           1992       Reservoir Dogs

98           1959       North By Northwest

99           1995       Toy Story

100         1976       Network

101         1987       Raising Arizona

102         1961       Hustler, The

103         1954       Rear Window

104         1939       Rules of the Game, The

105         1975       One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

106         1966       A Man For All Seasons

107         1981       An American Werewolf in London

108         1978       Tree of Wooden Clogs, The

109         1958       Touch of Evil

110         2004       Before Sunset

111         1982       Fitzcarraldo

112         1964       I Am Cuba

113         2004       Anchorman

114         1974       Conversation, The

115         1974       Blazing Saddles

116         1959       Rio Bravo

117         1990       Miller's Crossing

118         1987       Withnail and I

119         1953       Wages of Fear, The

120         1965       Battle of Algiers, The

121         1950       Young and the Damned, The

122         1987       Princess Bride, The

123         1974       A Woman Under the Influence

124         1991       Silence of the Lambs, The

125         1960       Breathless

126         1973       Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid

127         1973       Sting, The

128         2003       Lost in Translation

129         1950       Harvey

130         1975       Man Who Would Be King, The

131         1992       Last of the Mohicans, The

132         2006       Pan's Labyrinth

133         1944       Double Indemnity

134         1995       Seven

135         1933       Duck Soup

136         1984       Amadeus

137         1990       Dances with Wolves

138         1967       Cool Hand Luke

139         1981       Blow Out

140         1997       As Good As It Gets

141         1937       Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

142         2000       Almost Famous

143         1990       Cyrano de Bergerac

144         2007       There Will Be Blood

145         1982       Sophie's Choice

146         1975       Shampoo

147         1946       Notorious

148         1969       Z

149         1948       Red Shoes, The

150         1971       French Connection, The

151         2000       Gladiator

152         1997       Boogie Nights

153         1961       Innocents, The

154         1986       Betty Blue

155         1973       Badlands

156         1998       Saving Private Ryan

157         1993       True Romance

158         1992       Unforgiven

159         2001       Royal Tenenbaums, The

160         1979       Being There

161         1982       Year of Living Dangerously, The

162         1984       A Nightmare on Elm Street

163         1957       Bridge on the River Kwai, The

164         1956       Searchers, The

165         1936       A Camping Party

166         1964       Goldfinger

167         1973       Don't Look Now

168         1982       Tootsie

169         1961       Viridiana

170         1995       Haine, La

171         1945       Brief Encounter

172         1939       Wizard of Oz, The

173         2000       Memento

174         1978       Superman the Movie

175         1998       Rushmore

176         1944       A Canterbury Tale

177         2002       City of God

178         1941       Hellzapoppin'

179         1999       Toy Story 2

180         1962       To Kill a Mockingbird

181         1970       Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

182         1970       Performance

183         1967       Samourai, Le

184         1971       Dirty Harry

185         1957       Paths of Glory

186         2006       United 93

187         1958       Big Country, The

188         2003       School of Rock

189         1984       Ghostbusters

190         1988       Big

191         2005       Brokeback Mountain

192         1977       Eraserhead

193         1994       Ed Wood

194         1948       Bicycle Thieves

195         1946       It's a Wonderful Life

196         1999       Amelie

197         1991       Point Break

198         1996       Fargo

199         1974       Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The

200         1995       Before Sunrise

201         1991       JFK

202         1989       Killer, The

203         1979       Monty Python's Life of Brian

204         1935       Bride of Frankenstein

205         1995       Addiction, The

206         1973       Exorcist, The

207         1961       Misfits, The

208         2006       Departed, The

209         1983       Local Hero

210         1986       Platoon

211         2001       Moulin Rouge!

212         1931       M

213         2000       Songs From the Second Floor

214         1969       Army of Shadows

215         1997       Jackie Brown

216         1971       Sunday Bloody Sunday

217         1960       Magnificent Seven, The

218         1953       M. Hulot's Holiday

219         1976       Outlaw Josey Wales, The

220         2002       Far From Heaven

221         1971       McCabe and Mrs. Miller

222         1997       Mother and Son

223         1995       Safe

224         1988       Distant Voices, Still Lives

225         1971       Get Carter

226         1996       Romeo + Juliet

227         1994       Leon

228         2007       No Country For Old Men

229         1998       Festen

230         2004       Howl's Moving Castle

231         2004       Shaun of the Dead

232         1993       Jurassic Park

233         1984       Indiana Jones Temple of Doom

234         2007       Bourne Ultimatum, The

235         2000       Battle Royale

236         1946       Black Narcissus

237         1991       Delicatessen

238         2000       Requiem for a Dream

239         1988       Cinema Paradiso

240         1994       Forrest Gump

241         1947       Brighton Rock

242         1933       King Kong

243         1984       Heimat

244         1993       Dazed and Confused

245         2004       Downfall

246         1940       Philadelphia Story, The

247         1979       All That Jazz

248         1929       Pandora's Box

249         1946       My Darling Clementine

250         1927       Sunrise

251         1965       Darling

252         1963       Leopard, The

253         1982       First Blood

254         1982       Verdict, The

255         1939       Ninotchka

256         1938       Port of Shadows, The

257         1934       Black Cat, The

258         1980       Blues Brothers, The

259         1993       Groundhog Day

260         1989       Field of Dreams

261         1953       Roman Holiday

262         1999       Virgin Suicides, The

263         1981       Boot, Das

264         1973       American Graffiti

265         2001       A.I. Artificial Intelligence

266         2001       Ghost World

267         1989       Crimes and Misdemeanors

268         1938       Lady Vanishes, The

269         1951       A Place in the Sun

270         2005       Death of Mr. Lazarescu, The

271         1985       Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

272         1970       Bird With the Crystal Plumage

273         1941       Maltese Falcon, The

274         2005       Sin City

275         1988       My Neighbour Totoro

276         2004       Layer Cake

277         1949       On the Town

278         1993       Carlito's Way

279         1978       Animal House

280         1981       Mad Max 2

281         1994       Interview with the Vampire

282         1990       Godfather Part III, The

283         1985       Ran

284         1983       Scarface

285         1972       Solaris

286         1960       L'Avventura

287         1996       Secrets & Lies

288         1988       Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

289         1982       Thing, The

290         1950       Rashomon

291         1960       Rocco and His Brothers

292         1946       Belle et la Bete, La

293         1973       Mother and the Whore, The

294         1955       Red Balloon, The

295         1987       Untouchables, The

296         1976       All the President's Men

297         1934       It Happened One Night

298         1970       Red Circle, The

299         1942       Palm Beach Story, The

300         1953       Sawdust and Tinsel

301         1975       Love and Death

302         1946       Best Years of Our Lives, The

303         2000       Together

304         1987       Radio Days

305         2006       Prestige, The

306         1989       Indiana Jones Last Crusade

307         1969       Midnight Cowboy

308         1984       Terminator, The

309         2007       Transformers

310         1984       Gremlins

311         1998       American History X

312         1977       Suspiria

313         1925       Battleship Potemkin

314         1957       Sweet Smell of Success

315         1995       Sense and Sensibility

316         1996       Trainspotting

317         1988       Midnight Run

318         1940       Rebecca

319         1994       Lion King, The

320         1995       Braveheart

321         1957       Funny Face

322         1992       Aladdin

323         1994       Last Seduction, The

324         1996       Lone Star

325         2003       Kill Bill Vol. 1

326         1998       Out of Sight

327         1993       Nightmare Before Christmas

328         1998       Truman Show, The

329         2006       Lives of Others, The

330         2005       Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

331         1999       Green Mile, The

332         1999       Sixth Sense, The

333         1978       Grease

334         1942       Magnificent Ambersons, The

335         1957       Seventh Seal, The

336         1997       Titanic

337         2006       300

338         1962       Jules et Jim

339         2001       Spirited Away

340         1963       High and Low

341         1975       Passenger, The

342         1925       Gold Rush, The

343         2001       Monsters , Inc.

344         1978       Last Waltz, The

345         1987       Fatal Attraction

346         1945       Leave Her to Heaven

347         1950       All About Eve

348         1966       Au Hasard Balthazar

349         1981       Arthur

350         1968       Planet of the Apes

351         1964       Zulu

352         1948       Unfaithfully Yours

353         1976       Bugsy Malone

354         1928       Un Chien Andalou

355         2007       Sunshine

356         1927       Napoleon

357         1973       Long Goodbye, The

358         2002       Russian Ark

359         1941       Lady Eve, The

360         2003       Return, The

361         1994       Clerks

362         1980       Elephant Man, The

363         1987       Good Morning, Vietnam

364         1994       Natural Born Killers

365         2002       Bourne Identity, The

366         1987       Predator

367         1972       Cabaret

368         1980       Airplane!

369         1985       Breakfast Club, The

370         1976       Rocky

371         2003       Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

372         1992       Army of Darkness

373         2008       Wall-E

374         2007       Hot Fuzz

375         1994       Four Weddings and a Funeral

376         2007       Zodiac

377         1973       Mean Streets

378         1985       Goonies, The

379         2007       Ratatouille

380         2006       Children of Men

381         1975       Monty Python and the Holy Grail

382         2005       Hidden

383         2005       Serenity

384         1940       Shop Around the Corner, The

385         1951       Ace in the Hole

386         1968       Great Silence, The

387         1988       Rain Man

388         1996       English Patient, The

389         1999       Election

390         2007       Two Days in Paris

391         2001       Mulholland Drive

392         1984       Paris, Texas

393         2004       Garden State

394         2008       Cloverfield

395         1995       Casino

396         2007       Assassination of Jesse James

397         1968       Night of the Living Dead

398         1977       Killer of Sheep

399         1924       Greed

400         2004       Incredibles, The

401         1992       Batman Returns

402         2006       Little Miss Sunshine

403         1989       Do the Right Thing

404         1987       RoboCop

405         1987       Dirty Dancing

406         2008       Iron Man

407         1967       Jungle Book, The

408         1983       Zelig

409         1997       Men in Black

410         1964       A Hard Day's Night

411         2004       Spider Man 2

412         1989       Heathers

413         2003       Finding Nemo

414         1991       Double Life of Veronique

415         1978       Dawn of the Dead

416         1987       Bad Taste

417         2005       Lords of Dogtown

418         2005       V for Vendetta

419         1978       Days of Heaven

420         1996       Jerry Maguire

421         1987       Lethal Weapon

422         1956       A Man Escaped

423         2004       Kill Bill Vol. 2

424         1944       To Have and Have Not

425         2000       Wonder Boys

426         2004       Enduring Love

427         1948       Springtime in a Small Town

428         1974       Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, The

429         1968       Danger: Diabolik

430         1986       Big Trouble in Little China

431         1973       Electra Glide in Blue

432         2003       X-Men 2

433         1997       Good Will Hunting

434         1947       Cat Concerto, The

435         2000       American Psycho

436         1991       Beauty and the Beast

437         2002       Spider-Man

438         1987       Lost Boys, The

439         1997       Grosse Point Blank

440         1988       Akira

441         1999       Being John Malkovich

442         2007       Atonement

443         1975       Dog Day Afternoon

444         1988       Hairspray

445         1994       Dumb and Dumber

446         2000       High Fidelity

447         2002       Ten

448         2005       A History of Violence

449         1999       Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

450         2005       King Kong

451         1994       Speed

452         2000       Unbreakable

453         2008       Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

454         2004       Bourne Supremacy, The

455         1986       Top Gun

456         2002       28 Days Later

457         1987       Full Metal Jacket

458         1989       Batman

459         1952       Ikiru

460         2004       Crash

461         1978       Halloween

462         2004       Dead Man's Shoes

463         2007       Juno

464         1954       Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

465         1995       Twelve Monkeys

466         2000       Snatch

467         1978       Deer Hunter, The

468         1994       Crow, The

469         1998       Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

470         1992       Glengarry Glen Ross

471         2004       Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

472         1962       Doulos, Le

473         2007       Into the Wild

474         1973       Enter the Dragon

475         2006       Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

476         1989       Santa Sangre

477         1955       Rebel Without a Cause

478         1968       Flesh

479         1947       Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The

480         2001       Son's Room, the

481         1999       Topsy-Turvy

482         1996       Scream

483         1980       Big Red One, The

484         2006       Fountain, The

485         1973       Wicker Man, The

486         1961       Breakfast at Tiffany's

487         2007       Superbad

488         1997       Princess Mononoke

489         2005       Brick

490         2007       Sweeney Todd

491         1959       Ben-Hur

492         2000       Amores Perros

493         1997       In the Company of Men

494         2004       Sideways

495         1957       Jailhouse Rock

496         2006       Superman Returns

497         2000       Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

498         1989       Back to the Future Part 2

499         2004       Saw

500         2001       Ocean's Eleven