Welcome to MovieJawn’s first ever Sound & Vision Poll, where our writers share why they love their 10 favorite movies of all time!

by Caitlin Hart, Contributor

Casablanca (dir. Michael Curtiz, 1944)

Could I possibly, in good conscience, write this list and not include Casablanca? Each of the movies on this list makes the cut for how, ultimately, it made me feel the first time I watched it, that rapturous feeling, of believing in film as a medium, of being moved by how, across time and space, movies can feel so intimate. Casablanca is a film I knew through reference and cultural reverence before I knew it as a film on its own. I was blown away at how modern it felt, how funny it was, how adroitly it explored human psychology and the relationships between men and women against the backdrop of war. Beautiful and iconic in every way, is any movie better than Casablanca?

West Side Story (dirs. Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise, 1961)

West Side Story is the reason I love cinema. Unlike Casablanca, which I first saw on the big screen, I encountered West Side Story on the 13 inch tv in my parents bedroom – but even on that tiny screen, it had an enormous impact on me. Its choreography, sound, direction, and cinematography create a rich tapestry of texture, color and dynacism. Each performance is excellent, but Natalie Wood’s final monologue has always stuck with me, powerful and vulnerable. The euphoria of love and the devastation of violence, two people at the whims of history they can’t fully comprehend – that’s the sort of story I will never tire of watching. 

Reds (dir. Warren Beatty, 1981)

Reds doesn’t get nearly enough respect as one of the last great Hollywood epics. More remembered for its out of control budget, the perfect symbol of Hollywood decadence, Warren Beatty pulled off a true masterpiece with this film. It’s a period piece that manages to feel contemporary. It’s both modern and historical, deeply human and wide ranging in its story. The inclusion of the “witnesses,” the real people who knew the film’s characters, knits the story together, asking – what is history? What is truth? The film strikes a careful balance between the soaring historical narrative and the small, funny, emotional moments, thanks to Beatty’s vision and the uncredited contributions by Elaine May to the script. Reds expertly explores a potent historical moment, while centering the complicated love story at its heart.

Annie Hall (dir, Woody Allen, 1977)

Putting a Woody Allen movie on a list like this might be controversial, but Annie Hall is undeniable. It’s both funny and deeply human. The character’s conflicts, the neuroses that drive them, all ring true in the 21st century, the timelessness of romantic disappointment. Stylistically, its vignette storytelling, the 4th-wall-breaking moments and its truthful, bittersweet ending make it a one of a kind romantic comedy. This is my chicken soup movie, my I-don’t-know-what-to-watch movie, my if-you-want-to-know-me movie. Annie Hall is the kind of movie that feels deeply personal to many people, and it’s personal to me, too.

Bonnie and Clyde (dir. Arthur Penn, 1967)

Bonnie and Clyde is about as perfect as cinema gets. I struggle to think of another movie which is so skillfully executed in every aspect – direction, cinematography, editing, acting – and so daring and bold. Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty are timeless in their roles, glamorous, scrappy, compelling and tragic. While violence in film has become unremarkable, Bonnie and Clyde’s visceral, bloody scenes, against the washed out backdrop of the Depression-era southwest, still feel fresh more than 50 years after the film first blew cinema wide open with its shoot outs and speeding cars, underscored by plucky banjo. 

Nashville (dir. Robert Altman, 1975)

It was hard for me not to just list ten Altman movies. His voice is singular, and his work always surprises and delights me. Nashville is Altman at his most Altmanesque, following a large cast of characters who talk over each other and roam through the plotless landscape of the film, offering cultural and political commentary without belaboring the point. His directorial eye is sharp, but it gives the sense of casually filming, having the good luck to capture a moment, a place. Immersive, rousing, funny and poignant, Nashville remains a powerful commentary on American culture, politics and society. 

Midnight Cowboy (dir. John Schlesinger, 1969)

It’s hard to make a visually beautiful movie about such a seedy and disturbing place as late 60s Times Square, but John Schlesinger pulled it off. Exploring the nastiest corners of reality, Midnight Cowboy paved the way for the 70s mode of filmmaking. But while many of the films that followed it focused on unsympathetic characters driven by violence or paranoia or greed, at the heart of Midnight Cowboy is a tale of deep love and loyalty. It’s a film of cruelty and poverty and emotional devastation, punctuated with impressionistic interludes and flashbacks. But under the grimy feeling one gets watching Joe Buck hustle his way through New York is the haunting sound of Harry Nilsson’s “Everybody’s Talkin’” and the beauty of these ugly characters – which makes the ending all the more gut-wrenching.

The Graduate (dir. Mike Nichols, 1967)

I know, I know – this is such a freshman film class choice. And my list leans heavy on New Hollywood, but the question was, what do I think are the best movies? And I’d be lying if I didn’t include The Graduate. Who hasn’t felt exactly like Benjamin and Elaine at the end of the film, jumping off the deep end in ecstasy and then wondering what’s next? For that ending alone, it deserves a place on this list. But The Graduate is more than its iconic ending; Mike Nichol’s innovative directing, his use of soundtrack, and casting Dustin Hoffman as the male lead all helped shift cinema into more exciting, daring territory.

Boogie Nights (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 1997)

Paul Thomas Anderson is easily my favorite contemporary director, and I don’t think he’s beat Boogie Nights. While this list mostly features films about intense relationships between pairs, Boogie Nights stands out as a fascinating portrayal of a different kind of love: chosen family. Although it’s about porn, this is a movie about the movies, about making art and trying to succeed in a decaying world. Not unlike Midnight Cowboy, the film grabs the audience by the hand, dragging them through the seediness and desolation of the underworld through the eyes of a naive young man, desperate for both money and love. Joyful, heart wrenching and beautifully rendered, Boogie Nights is bursting with color, character and artistic ambition. 

When Harry Met Sally (dir. Rob Reiner, 1989)

Romance is a big theme on my list. Whether it’s West Side Story or Casablanca, I love the way romance pulls an audience in, allowing us to understand complex stories and historical moments through the lens of human relationships. But most of these movies end in tragedy. When Harry Met Sally is the antidote to the cynicism of so many of my other favorite movies. To watch When Harry Met Sally is to suspend skepticism about love. Harry telling Sally “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible” has never failed to make me cry. Sometimes, the movies that move us are epics, dramas, and sometimes they’re clever, cozy romcoms.