A Glean movie guide
The Essential Cinema Bucket List
Every frame a masterpiece.
The definitive films that shaped movie history and captured the world's imagination.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Godfather
A masterclass in storytelling that redefined the American crime epic and the gangster genre.
Spanning the years 1945 to 1955, a chronicle of the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family. When organized crime family patriarch, Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son, Michael steps in to take care of the would-be killers, launching a campaign of bloody revenge.
- 02
Parasite
A razor-sharp social thriller that blends genres and keeps you guessing until the final frame.
All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.
- 03
2001: A Space Odyssey
A visual and philosophical journey that remains the gold standard for ambitious science fiction.
Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.
- 04
Pulp Fiction
A high-energy blend of witty dialogue and non-linear storytelling that changed independent film forever.
A burger-loving hit man, his philosophical partner, a drug-addled gangster's moll and a washed-up boxer converge in this sprawling, comedic crime caper. Their adventures unfurl in three stories that ingeniously trip back and forth in time.
- 05
Spirited Away
An enchanting, hand-drawn odyssey into a world of spirits that showcases the pinnacle of animation.
A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.
- 06
The Dark Knight
A gritty, psychological take on the superhero genre anchored by a legendary, award-winning performance.
Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.
- 07
Seven Samurai
The blueprint for the modern action movie, featuring epic scale and intimate character work.
A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.
- 08
Psycho
The foundational psychological thriller that turned a simple shower curtain into a source of cinematic terror.
When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of starting a new life, she ends up at the notorious Bates Motel, where manager Norman Bates cares for his housebound mother.
- 09
Schindler's List
A powerful and deeply moving testament to the human spirit during one of history's darkest chapters.
The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.
- 10
Singin' in the Rain
A vibrant, joyful celebration of Hollywood’s transition to sound and the pure magic of performance.
In 1927 Hollywood, a silent film star falls for a chorus girl just as he and his paranoid screen partner struggle to make the difficult transition to talking pictures.