Movies are simply a wonder to watch as they take you to another world. Old or new, great movies are forever gold. Hollywood movies have been the base of the global film industry. The best Hollywood movies of all time have talented casts, high production values, outstanding special effects, etc.
They are watched by millions all over the world as most Hollywood movies are made and distributed in English, which is a dominant language in the world of cinema.
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When speaking about the best Hollywood movies to watch on your weekends, you cannot miss these classic and modern Hollywood movies.
Here is the golden list of Hollywood movies that are truly and simply the best available and you should definitely add them to your watch list:
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All-Time Hollywood Classics-
1. The Godfather (1972)
- You saw this coming right? Of course, it is The Godfather after all. Directed by the one and only Francis Ford Coppola.
- Starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, one of the greatest duos in the history of any Hollywood movie.
- This classic movie is a must-add to the best Hollywood movies list. You can watch it on Prime Video.
IMDb: 9.2/10
Genre: Crime, Drama
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Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
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The Godfather Trailer
2. Psycho (1960)
- The absolute thriller of Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his psychopathic escapades. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
- It is one of the best thriller movies Hollywood has ever offered.
IMDb: 8.5/10
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Genre: Horror, Thriller
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
3. The Shining (1980)
- The most terrifying 1980 horror classic starring Jack Nicholson first shot up at the box office and still remains a critics’ famous research.
- Directed by the famous Stanley Kubrick. This classic Hollywood thriller is one of the best English movies.
IMDb: 8.4/10
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
4. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
- Reservoir Dogs is Quentin Tarantino’s writing and directorial debut.
- Quentin is a gold director and one shouldn’t miss out on Reservoir Dogs.
IMDb: 8.3/10
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Genre: Crime, Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
5. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
- The story of a psychiatric family where Jack Nicholson is a prison convict who attempts to break out with every move.
- It’s the most engaging watch. This classic film is among the top 10 Hollywood movies.
IMDb: 8.7/10
Genre: Drama
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Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, YouTube
6. The Great Dictator (1940)
- Starring Charlie Chaplin. The movie doesn’t need any introduction because it’s already a classic.
- It was produced, written, directed, and also scored by Charlie Chaplin himself. It is among the best Hollywood movies of all time. Watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
IMDb: 8.4/10
Genre: Comedy, War
7. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
- It is a silent thriller film about Dr. Caligari who notices all the strange stuff.
- Directed by Robert Wiene, this movie deserves a place among the best Hollywood movies.
IMDb: 8.0/10
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
8. 12 Angry Men (1957)
- 12 Angry Men is a classic movie directed by Sidney Lumet which will keep you entertained from the beginning to the end. It is one of the best English movies of all time.
IMDb: 9.0/10
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Genre: Crime, Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
9. Citizen Kane (1941)
The story follows the scandalous life of a publishing tycoon. Directed by Orson Welles.
IMDb: 8.3/10
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Genre: Drama, Mystery
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
10. Apocalypse Now (1979)
- Based on the Vietnam War, It is an epic adventure film and one of the greatest in the history of cinema.
- Apocalypse Now was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Director of The Godfather.
IMDb: 8.5/10
Genre: War, Drama
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Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
11. The Guns of Navarone (1961)
- Directed by J Lee Thomson. The Guns of Navarone is a movie about a group of elites of greek soldiers who were assigned to battle the impossible Germans, that too on the Angeon Island taking the help of guerilla fighters. It is one of the best Hollywood movies in the action genre.
IMDb: 7.5/10
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Genre: War, Action
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
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12. Rear Window (1954)
- The story follows a photographer who is stuck in an apartment and stalks people’s daily lives.
- Later finds a big revelation. Rear Window is directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
IMDb: 8.5/10
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
13. Ben-Hur (1959)
- A complete story based on blood, slavery, war, and revenge. 1959 real story epic drama directed by William Wyer. It is one of the best Hollywood movies of all time.
IMDb: 8.1/10
Genre: Drama, Adventure
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
14. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
- To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic movie where the characters fight against racism. It is directed by Robert Mulligan.
- The cast of the movie is Gregory Peck and Mary Badham.
IMDb: 8.3/10
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Genre: Drama, Mystery
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
Modern Hollywood Classics
15. Schindler’s List (1993)
- The story is about saving 1100 Jews from the execution camp.
- Nazi Czech businessman Oskar Schindler helps all the Jews and is a real-life story. Directed by Steven Spielberg, it is one of the best English movies on Netflix.
IMDb: 9.0/10
Genre: Drama, War
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
16. Requiem For A Dream (2000)
Battling a drug addiction of a group of friends. The classic movie starred Jared Leto who just nailed the role. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, it is one of the must watch Hollywood movies.
IMDb: 8.3/10
Genre: Drama, Psychological thriller
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
17. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
- Colorful work of art with brilliant cinematography and acting The Grand Budapest Hotel remains one of the most iconic movies of all time.
- It was directed by Wes Anderson. You can watch it on YouTube.
IMDb: 8.1/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Watch it on Hotstar, AppleTV
The Grand Budapest Hotel Trailer
18. Fargo (1996)
- The story of Jerry (William H. Macy) who hires men to abduct his wife.
- The plan was to extract all her money from her father. And of course like every movie, it doesn’t go as planned.
- Directed by Coen, it is one of the Hollywood action movies.
IMDb: 8.1/10
Genre: Crime, Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
19. American Beauty (1999)
- A sexually frustrated suburban father. His life is in a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter’s best friend.
- This classic movie is directed by Sam Mendes.
IMDb: 8.4/10
Genre: Romance, Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
20. The Pianist (2002)
- This popular Hollywood movie is directed by Roman Polanski.
- Adrien Brody is a gifted pianist who is also a polish jew trying to survive the Holocaust from the Nazi organization in WWII.
IMDb: 8.5/10
Genre: War, Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
21. Star Wars Series (1977)
- You all must have heard about this. Star Wars is one of the biggest franchises in Hollywood.
IMDb: 8.6/10
Genre: Sci-fi, Mystery
Watch it on Hotstar
22. Nil By Mouth (1997)
- About a poor family living in South East London. Written and directed by Gary Oldman. It was his debut and he created a masterpiece.
IMDb: 7.3/10
Genre: Drama
Watch it on AppleTV
23. The Lord Of The Rings Series (2001)
- This epic series is created by J R R Tolkien. Lord of the rings is one of the classic movies which needs to be on the list. It is among the best Hollywood movies.
IMDb: 8.8/10
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
24. Burn After Reading (2008)
- The story follows 2 friends trying to blackmail a CIA official. It’s a hilarious one.
- The black comedy was written, directed, produced, and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. It is one of the best English on Amazon Prime.
IMDb: 7.0/10
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, JioCinema
25. Fight Club (1999)
- A psychological thriller. Who doesn’t want to watch legendary Brad Pitt and Edward Norton? In 1996, Chuck Palahniuk wrote this. It was directed by David Fincher.
- It is one of the best Hollywood action movies.
IMDb: 8.8/10
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
26. Pulp Fiction (1994)
- Another Quentin Tarantino classic, Pulp Fiction is considered one of his best works and the storyline is great and epic.
IMDb: 8.9/10
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
27. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
- Another excellent work from Stanley Kubrik, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a science fiction work and a total mind-bender. This movie requires a lot of attention.
IMDb: 8.3/10
Genre: Sci-fi, Adventure
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
28. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
- IMDb’s Top rated movie. The Shawshank Redemption is one of the classics and one of the favorites.
- The story follows Andy Dufrense’s escape from Shawshank Prison. Written by Stephan King and directed by Frank Darabont.
IMDb: 9.3/10
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Netflix
29. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
- A young man lost in the love and responsibilities of his family. Starring Johnny Depp, this movie is a classic.
IMDb: 7.7/10
Genre: Drama, Romance
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
30. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
- Starring Malcolm McDowell, this is another masterwork of Stanley Kubrik. The plot is a crime mystery drama. A must-watch movie listed among the best Hollywood movies list.
IMDb: 8.3/10
Genre: Drama, Crime
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Netflix
31. The Exorcist (1973)
- Who doesn’t love horror films? Based on a novel by William Peter Blatty and later directed by William Friedkin.
- The Exorcist has been tag lined as one of the scariest horror movies of all time.
IMDb: 8.1/10
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
32. Birdman (or, The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance)
- Birdman is another black comedy film. It tells the story of an actor who is famous for portraying superheroes.
- Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, it is one of the best Hollywood movies on Amazon Prime.
IMDb: 7.7/10
Genre: Drama, Romance
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
33. The Deer Hunter (1978)
- It is a story based on the Vietnam war. The Deer Hunter is an American epic war film that Michael Cimino directed.
- The movie stars Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and other stars who did marvelous acting. It is among the best Hollywood movies war.
IMDb: 8.1/10
Genre: War
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
34. Raging Bull (1980)
- Martin Scorsese with Robert De Niro in the Raging Bull is quite an exceptional movie. It is a biographical movie.
- It is based on the journey of a middleweight boxer and his success. One of the best Hollywood sports movies.
IMDb: 8.2/10
Genre: Drama, Sports
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
35. Network (1976)
- It is a film based on mockery. The Network film was written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet.
- The movie goes about a fictional television network company and its questionable ways to the people.
IMDb: 8.1/10
Genre: Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
36. Taxi Driver (1976)
- The story follows an Ex-marine and Vietnam veteran who is now a taxi driver in The Big Apple – New York City.
- He is driven to save a preadolescent prostitute from her pimp in an effort to clean the city of its sleaze. Starring Robert De Niro and is directed by Martin. Scorsese.
IMDb: 8.2/10
Genre: Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, SonyLiv
37. Life Is Beautiful (1997)
- Follows the story of a Jewish father and son’s relationship. Through the nazi camp and journey with filled emotions. Directed and acted by Roberto Benigni.
IMDb: 8.6/10
Genre: War, Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
38. There Will Be Blood (2007)
- Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood is a classic movie that stars Daniel Day Lewis.
- The movie is based on the twist of an oil tycoon who is into a monopoly. It is among the must watch Hollywood movies.
IMDb: 8.2/10
Genre: Drama, History
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, SonyLiv
39. Mystic River (2003)
- Two Childhood friends have strange events in their life and then reunite and discover more strange stuff. It’s a mystery drama genre. Directed by Clint Eastwood.
IMDb: 7.9/10
Genre: Crime, Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
40. Interview With A Vampire (1994)
- Interview with a Vampire is one of the classic movies of the 90s. Truly a wonderful movie that was based on the novel by Anne Rice. Directed by Neil Jordan.
IMDb: 7.5/10
Genre: Horror, Romance
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
41. Gladiator (2000)
- The life story of a Roman General who turns into a Gladiator(Russel Crowe) and his incredible story for his freedom.
- Directed by Ridley Scott. It is one of the best Hollywood movies on Netflix to watch.
IMDb: 8.5/10
Genre: Action, Adventure
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Zee5
42. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
- Rosemary’s Baby is a classic movie that follows a pregnant lady (Mia Farrow) and her husband (John Cassavetes) and their life story to their crazy neighbors who want their baby to be an Antichrist. Another classic by Roman Polanski.
IMDb: 8.0/10
Genre: Horror, Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
43. Forrest Gump (1994)
- A journey of a man named Forrest (Tom Hanks). Forrest was a man with a low IQ and this movie tells his marvelous journey through love, war, and Life.
- Robert Lee Zemeckis was the director of Forrest Gump.
IMDb: 8.8/10
Genre: Drama, Romance
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
44. Eternal Sunshine Of A Spotless Mind (2004)
- The romantic love story of a couple whose memories are clinically erased and their struggle to stay united and stick together.
- It is a classic romantic science fiction movie which was directed by Michel Gondry.
IMDb: 8.3/10
Genre: Romance, Sci-fi
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
45. Chinatown (1974)
- Chinatown is a detective story where the man is an expert in matrimonial cases.
- In this case, he is hired by Mrs. Mulwray to spy and check on her husband who is the builder of the city’s water system.
- After Mulwray’s death, there is a lot of mystery. Directed by Roman Polanski.
IMDb: 8.2/10
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
46. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Written by Frank Pierson and then directed by Sidney Lumet. Dog Day Afternoon is an American crime film. Al Pacino portrays the real story of a robbery in a bank heist.
IMDb: 8.0/10
Genre: Crime, Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
47. No Country For Old Men (2007)
It’s a classic thriller that keeps getting twisted with every scene passing by and it’s a neo-western thriller. It was directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. This is one of the best English movies to watch on Netflix.
IMDb: 8.2/10
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
48. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
- It’s a story between two bounty hunters who are searching for treasure. During this search the two form an alliance which is quite unlikely.
- Clint Eastwood is the lead actor in this film. It was directed by Sergio Leone.
IMDb: 8.8/10
Genre: Western, Spaghetti Western
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
49. Donnie Darko (2001)
- Donnie Darko is an American science fiction psychological thriller movie. It was directed by Richard Kelly, and Jake Gyllenhaal plays the lead.
- It sure is a mix and gets to your brain. Watch it on Prime Video.
IMDb: 8.0/10
Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
50. The Wrestler (2008)
- A classic film where a wrestler keeps up with his life, problems, family, and most importantly his career.
- The movie is directed by Darren Aronofsky. Mickey Rourke plays the lead who is the wrestler.
IMDb: 7.9/10
Genre: Drama
Watch it on Amazon Prime Video
Conclusion
Classic Hollywood movies stand the test of time. There are movies of several genres that have made a place in the audience’s hearts. We listed the best ones for you to explore the different genres of Hollywood movies from different timelines that made a mark. Let us know in the comments which one you like the most.