The films of 2022 have gotten a wide range of Rotten Tomatoes scores. The widely acclaimed multiversal epic Blonde keeps fluctuating.
It’s extremely rare that a movie will get a perfect 100% score on the Tomatometer. Even the greatest films ever made usually have at least one dissenter. As a result, some bona fide masterpieces – from Lady Bird – are stuck with a near-perfect score of 99%.
Paddington 2 (2017)
Paul King’s first Paddington 2 – managed to outdo it with an ever stronger, even rarer approval rating of 99%. The thrilling, heartwarming sequel sees the titular talking bear convicted and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit.
Much like its predecessor, Paddington 2 captures the sweet, affable spirit of Michael Bond’s iconic source material, carried by Ben Whishaw’s lovable portrayal of the title character.
Casablanca (1942)
Often cited as one of the greatest movies ever made, Casablanca transcended the trappings of a standard studio picture with a timeless tale of romance set against the timely backdrop of a world ravaged by the Second World War.
Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman share impeccable on-screen chemistry as a pair of old flames who rekindle their relationship when the latter happens upon the former’s gin bar with a new husband in tow.
Eighth Grade (2018)
During his hiatus from performing live, Eighth Grade, the definitive coming-of-age movie for a more complicated era of adolescence involving smartphones, social media, and the struggle to be heard amidst all the noise online.
Breakout star Elsie Fisher anchors the movie with a deeply human portrayal of a Generation Z kid dealing with anxiety, sexuality, and self-awareness.
On The Waterfront (1954)
Marlon Brando pushed the boundaries of what was possible in film acting with his mesmerizing, hugely influential turn as former prize fighter Terry Malloy alongside Lee J. Cobb and Rod Steiger in Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront.
Everybody re his iconic “I coulda been a contender” monologue, but Brando’s spellbinding performance as a whole is considered to be a watershed moment in the history of cinema.
Selma (2014)
Ava DuVernay became a household name with her powerful dramatization of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches. Led by David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, Jr., Selma has been praised as one of the most historically accurate historical movies ever made.
Oyelowo walks a fine line between capturing the titan of the civil rights movement and portraying Dr. King as a human being, while DuVernay’s direction keeps history dynamic and not dry.
Citizen Kane (1941)
When it comes to lists of the greatest movies ever made, Casablanca takes turns with Citizen Kane to sit at the top. Orson Welles’ magnum opus tells the rise and fall of a newspaper mogul in a thinly veiled critique of the unscrupulous William Randolph Hearst.
Not only does Citizen Kane’s lampoon of the media still hold up today; it also pioneered many of the cinematic techniques that filmmakers continue to use in modern movies: long takes, deep focus, expressionistic lighting.
Goldfinger (1964)
The first couple of James Bond movies are both solid outings, but director Guy Hamilton perfected the Bond movie formula with the third one, Goldfinger. It established the action-packed cold opens, the globetrotting narratives, and the themes performed by contemporary pop singers.
The eccentric Auric Goldfinger is the ultimate Bond villain, the finale at Fort Knox is a thrilling climactic set-piece, and the gadget-filled Aston Martin chase is one of the greatest car chases ever put on film.
Finding Nemo (2003)
Andrew Stanton’s Finding Nemo is the perfect Pixar movie. Its oceanic setting presented the animators with endless opportunities for beautiful, mesmerizing, awe-inspiring visuals, but its story of a father’s quest to reunite with his missing son is universally relatable.
Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres share impeccable chemistry in the mismatched roles of Marlin and Dory, and the movie’s aquatic adventure is as moving as it is riveting.
Chinatown (1974)
Robert Towne’s the cornerstones of the New Hollywood movement that boldly reshaped American cinema.
Starring Jack Nicholson as a private eye and Faye Dunaway as a tragic subversion of the “femme fatale” archetype, Chinatown culminates in one of the most shockingly bleak endings in movie history.
Lady Bird (2017)
Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut, Lady Bird, is one of the most emotionally engaging, meticulously crafted, and painfully relatable coming-of-age movies ever made. It covers every aspect of its title character’s existence in her final year of high school: her love life, her family life, her school life, her first job, her fluctuating friendships.
At the heart of Lady Bird is one of the most beautifully authentic portrayals of the ups and downs of a mother-daughter relationship, brought to life by a perfectly matched Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf.
