Released in time for Christmas 2010, this list is comprised of the 500 films awarded a coveted 5-star rating at that time. There were more than 500 films deemed good enough before publication, but some whittling down was put into action to achieve the arbitrary 500. Some omissions were correct (Attack of the Clones) and others more questionable (The Exorcist was left off, yet Babe was kept on).Oh, and there’s 502 films rather than 500 because The Apu Trilogy (Pather Panchali, Aparajito and The World of Apu) have been collected together as one film.

2008       4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
1957       12 Angry Men
1935       39 Steps, The
1959       400 Blows, The
1968       2001: A Space Odyssey
1959       A Bucket of Blood
1971       A Clockwork Orange
1964       A Fistful of Dollars
1964       A Hard Day’s Night
1956       A Man Escaped
1946       A Matter of Life and Death
1958       A Night to Remember
1984       A Nightmare on Elm Street
1986       A Room with a View
2009       A Serious Man
1951       A Streetcar Named Desire
2001       A.I. Artificial Intelligence
1988       Accidental Tourist, The
1988       Accused, The
1938       Adventures of Robin Hood, The
1985       After Hours
1993       Age of Innocence, The
1980       Airplane!
1992       Aladdin
1938       Alexander Nevsky
1979       Alien
1986       Aliens
1950       All About Eve
1999       All About My Mother
1930       All Quiet on the Western Front
1979       All That Jazz
1976       All the President’s Men
1965       Alphaville
1984       Amadeus
1999       Amelie
1999       American Beauty
1997       Amistad
2000       Amores Perros
1959       Anatomy of a Murder
1969       Andrei Rublev
1977       Annie Hall
1957       Aparajito
1960       Apartment, The
1979       Apocalypse Now
1995       Apollo 13
1969       Army of Shadows
1958       Ashes and Diamonds
1950       Asphalt Jungle, The
2007       Assassination of Jesse James
1980       Atlantic City
2007       Atonement
1966       Au Hasard Balthazar
1999       Audition
2009       Avatar
1995       Babe
1985       Back to the Future
2010       Bad Lieutenant
1980       Bad Timing
1973       Badlands
1942       Bambi
2007       Band’s Visit, The
2005       Batman Begins
1965       Battle of Algiers, The
1925       Battleship Potemkin
1991       Beauty and the Beast
2001       Behind the Sun
1999       Being John Malkovich
1946       Belle et la Bete, La
1954       Belles of St. Trinians, The
1959       Ben-Hur
1948       Bicycle Thieves
1998       Big Lebowski, The
1980       Big Red One, The
1946       Big Sleep, The
2000       Billy Elliot
1946       Black Narcissus
1926       Black Pirate, The
1991       Black Robe
1982       Blade Runner
1974       Blazing Saddles
1984       Blood Simple
1966       Blow-Up
1967       Bonnie and Clyde
1981       Boot, Das
2006       Borat
1989       Born on the Fourth of July
2007       Bourne Ultimatum, The
1991       Boyz N the Hood
1985       Brazil
1980       Breaker Morant
1935       Bride of Frankenstein
1957       Bridge on the River Kwai, The
1938       Bringing Up Baby
1987       Broadcast News
2005       Brokeback Mountain
1969       Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
1919       Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The
1936       Camille
1992       Candyman
2005       Capote
1993       Carlito’s Way
1935       Carnival in Flanders
1962       Carnival of Souls
1956       Carousel
1976       Carrie
1942       Casablanca
1995       Casino
1942       Cat People
1949       Caught
1990       C’est La Vie
2008       Changeling
1981       Chariots of Fire
2000       Chicken Run
1945       Children of Paradise, The
1965       Chimes at Midnight
1974       Chinatown
1988       Cinema Paradiso
1941       Citizen Kane
1931       City Lights
2002       City of God
1995       City of Lost Children, The
1962       Cleo from 5 til 7
1994       Clerks
1977       Close Encounters of the Third Kind
2008       Cloverfield
1985       Come and See
1969       Conformist, The
1974       Conversation, The
1967       Cool Hand Luke
2009       Coraline
1996       Crash
1972       Cries and Whispers
1989       Crimes and Misdemeanors
2000       Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
1996       Crucible, The
1966       Cul-De-Sac
1999       Cup, The
2008       Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The
1944       Curse of the Cat People, The
1981       Cutter’s Way
1990       Cyrano de Bergerac
2000       Dancer in the Dark
1988       Dangerous Liaisons
2008       Dark Knight, The
1974       Dark Star
1978       Dawn of the Dead
1973       Day For Night
1985       Day of the Dead
1943       Day of Wrath
1951       Day the Earth Stood Still, The
1978       Days of Heaven
1945       Dead of Night
1978       Deer Hunter, The
1972       Deliverance
2008       Departures
1988       Die Hard
1971       Dirty Harry
1972       Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The
1975       Dog Day Afternoon
2003       Dogville
1960       Dolce Vita, La
2001       Donnie Darko
1973       Don’t Look Now
1944       Double Indemnity
1931       Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1964       Dr. Strangelove
1933       Duck Soup
1941       Dumbo
1982       E.T. the Extra Terrestrial
1990       Edward Scissorhands
1977       Eraserhead
1987       Evil Dead 2
2001       Experiment, Das
1997       Face/Off
1968       Faces
1960       Fall of the House of Usher, The
1982       Fanny and Alexander
2002       Far From Heaven
1996       Fargo
1986       Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
1989       Field of Dreams
1970       Five Easy Pieces
1986       Fly, The
1948       Force of Evil
1994       Forrest Gump
1931       Frankenstein
1971       French Connection, The
2004       Friday Night Lights
1981       Gallipoli
1926       General, The
1971       Get Carter
1984       Ghostbusters
2010       Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The
1992       Glengarry Glen Ross
1974       Godfather Part II, The
1972       Godfather, The
1998       Gods and Monsters
1925       Gold Rush, The
1964       Goldfinger
1939       Gone With the Wind
1997       Good Will Hunting
1966       Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The
1939       Goodbye, Mr. Chips
1990       Goodfellas
1964       Gospel According to St. Matthew, The
1937       Grand Illusion, The
1940       Grapes of Wrath, The
1978       Grease
1963       Great Escape, The
1946       Great Expectations
1993       Groundhog Day
1955       Guys and Dolls
1995       Haine, La
1978       Halloween
1996       Hamlet
1998       Happiness
1963       Haunting, The
1995       Heat
1952       High Noon
1959       Hiroshima My Love
1940       His Girl Friday
1963       Hud
1939       Hunchback of Notre Dame, The
2008       Hurt Locker, The
1961       Hustler, The
2008       I Served the King of England
1998       Idiots, The
1968       If…
1952       Ikiru
1959       Imitation of Life
2000       In the Mood For Love
2002       In This World
2010       Inception
2007       Inland Empire
1999       Insider, The
1916       Intolerance
1956       Invasion of the Body Snatchers
1933       Invisible Man, The
1965       Ipcress File, The
2002       Irreversible
1934       It Happened One Night
1969       Italian Job, The
1946       It’s a Wonderful Life
1975       Jaws
1979       Jerk, The
1996       Jerry Maguire
1991       JFK
1962       Jules et Jim
1967       Jungle Book, The
1993       Jurassic Park
1983       Keep, The
1969       Kes
2010       Kick-Ass
1984       Killing Fields, The
1956       Killing, The
1949       Kind Hearts and Coronets
2005       King Kong
1933       King Kong
2010       King’s Speech, The
1997       L.A. Confidential
1941       Lady Eve, The
2001       Lagaan
1992       Last of the Mohicans, The
1961       Last Year at Marienbad
1944       Laura
1962       Lawrence of Arabia
2010       Lebanon
1994       Leon
2008       Let the Right One In
1943       Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The
1952       Life of Oharu, The
1930       Little Caesar
2006       Lives of Others, The
1983       Local Hero
1955       Lola Montes
1996       Lone Star
1980       Long Good Friday, The
1973       Long Goodbye, The
2001       Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2002       Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2003       Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2003       Lost in Translation
1945       Lost Weekend, The
1975       Love and Death
1931       M
1953       M. Hulot’s Holiday
1981       Mad Max 2
1960       Magnificent Seven, The
1941       Maltese Falcon, The
1951       Man in the White Suit, The
1979       Manhattan
1986       Manhunter
1977       Martin
1999       Matrix, The
1971       McCabe and Mrs. Miller
1973       Mean Streets
1927       Metropolis
1969       Midnight Cowboy
1945       Mildred Pierce
1990       Miller’s Crossing
1985       Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
1936       Modern Times
1988       Monkey Shines
2010       Monsters
1975       Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1979       Monty Python’s Life of Brian
1957       Mother India
2001       Moulin Rouge!
1939       Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
2001       Mulholland Drive
2005       Munich
1932       Music Box, The
1946       My Darling Clementine
1964       My Fair Life
1927       Napoleon
1975       Nashville
1988       Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey, The
1976       Network
1955       Night of the Hunter, The
1968       Night of the Living Dead
2007       No Country For Old Men
1959       North By Northwest
1940       Northwest Passage
1922       Nosferatu, A Symphony of Terror
1946       Notorious
2000       O Brother, Where Art Thou?
2001       Ocean’s Eleven
1968       Odd Couple, The
1983       Once Upon a Time in America
1968       Once Upon a Time in the West
1975       One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
1961       One Hundred and One Dalmations
1950       Orphee
1943       Ossessione
1947       Out of the Past
1929       Pandora’s Box
2006       Pan’s Labyrinth
1984       Paris, Texas
1928       Passion of Joan of Arc, The
1955       Pather Panchali
1957       Paths of Glory
1960       Peeping Tom
1966       Persona
1959       Pickpocket
1975       Picnic at Hanging Rock
2003       Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
1968       Planet of the Apes
1967       Play Time
1992       Player, The
1967       Point Blank
2009      Precious
1987        Princess Bride, The
1968       Producers, The
1977        Providence
1960       Psycho
2009       Public Enemies
1931         Public Enemy, The
1994       Pulp Fiction
1933        Queen Christina
1952        Quiet Man, The
1994       Quiz Show
1980       Raging Bull
1981       Raiders of the Lost Ark
1988       Rain Man
1987       Raising Arizona
1985       Ran
2007       Ratatouille
1954       Rear Window
1940       Rebecca
1955       Rebel Without a Cause
1955       Red Balloon, The
1948       Red River
1948       Red Shoes, The
1965       Repulsion
1992       Reservoir Dogs
1955       Rififi
1983       Right Stuff, The
1959       Rio Bravo
1939       Roaring Twenties, The
1960       Rocco and His Brothers
1945       Rome, Open City
1967       Samourai, Le
1954       Sansho the Bailiff
1998       Saving Private Ryan
1983       Scarface
1932       Scarface: the Shame of a Nation
1993       Schindler’s List
2010       Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
1956       Searchers, The
2010       Secret in Their Eyes, The
2010       Secret of Kells, The
1995       Seven
1954       Seven Samurai, The
1957       Seventh Seal, The
1989       Sex, Lies and Videotapes
1994       Shallow Grave
1953       Shane
1994       Shawshank Redemption, The
1949       She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
1996       Shine
1980       Shining, The
1963       Shock Corridor
1960       Shoot the Piano Player
2004       Sideways
1991       Silence of the Lambs, The
1952       Singin’ in the Rain
1996       Sling Blade
2008       Slumdog Millionaire
1959       Some Like It Hot
1965       Sound of Music, The
1960       Spartacus
1994       Speed
1973       Spirit of the Beehive, The
2001       Spirited Away
1939       Stagecoach
1986       Stand By Me
1977       Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope
1980       Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
1928       Steamboat Bill Jr.
1973       Sting, The
1954       Strada, La
1974       Sugarland Express, The
1941       Sullivan’s Travels
1950       Sunset Boulevard
2006       Superman Returns
1977       Suspiria
1997       Sweet Hereafter, The
1957       Sweet Smell of Success
2008       Synecdoche, New York
1951       Tales of Hoffman, The
1976       Taxi Driver
2002       Ten
1991       Terminator 2: Judgement Day
1984       Terminator, The
1974       Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The
1977       That Obscure Object of Desire
1991       Thelma & Louise
2007       There Will Be Blood
1934       Thin Man, The
1998       Thin Red Line, The
1951       Thing From Another World, The
1982       Thing, The
1949       Third Man, The
1984       This is Spinal Tap
1984       Threads
2005       Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The
1993       Three Colours: Blue
1957       Throne of Blood
1981       Time Bandits
1997       Titanic
1942       To Be or Not to Be
1962       To Kill a Mockingbird
1953       Tokyo Story
1999       Topsy-Turvy
1958       Touch of Evil
1995       Toy Story
1999       Toy Story 2
2010       Toy Story 3
2000       Traffic
1996       Trainspotting
1948       Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The
1978       Tree of Wooden Clogs, The
1932       Trouble in Paradise
1998       Truman Show, The
1995       Twelve Monkeys
1997       TwentyFourSeven
1971       Two-Lane Blacktop
1964       Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The
1992       Unforgiven
2006       United 93
2010       Up in the Air
1995       Usual Suspects, The
1972       Uzana’s Raid
1958       Vertigo
1961       Viridiana
1962       Vivre sa Vie
1953       Wages of Fear, The
1971       Walkabout
2005       Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the ere-Rabbit
2008       Wall-E
2008       Waltz with Bashir
1937       Way Out West
1942       Went the Day Well?
1961       West Side Story
1989       When Harry Met Sally
1949       White Heat
1988       Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
1973       Wicker Man, The
1969       Wild Bunch, The
1987       Wings of Desire
2010       Winter’s Bone
1968       Witchfinder General
1987       Withnail and I
1985       Witness
1939       Wizard of Oz, The
2000       Wonder Boys
1959       World of Apu, The
2008       Wrestler, The
1975       Xala
1961       Yojimbo
1967       You Only Live Twice
1983       Zu: Warriors From the Magic Mountain