A Glean movie guide
The Essential Cinema Bucket List
The definitive must-watch list.
From timeless classics to modern masterpieces, these are the films every movie lover needs to
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Godfather
A masterclass in storytelling that redefined the crime epic for generations.
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 made history with its genre-bending brilliance.
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
Spirited Away
A breathtaking journey into a world of spirits that stands as a 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.
- 04
The Dark Knight
The definitive superhero film that blends gritty crime drama with a legendary 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.
- 05
Pulp Fiction
A bold, non-linear explosion of style and dialogue that changed independent cinema 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.
- 06
12 Angry Men
A gripping courtroom drama that proves how much tension can be built in a single room.
The defense and the prosecution have rested and the jury is filing into the jury room to decide if a young Spanish-American is guilty or innocent of murdering his father. What begins as an open and shut case soon becomes a mini-drama of each of the jurors' prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused, and each other.
- 07
2001: A Space Odyssey
A visual and philosophical landmark that remains the gold standard for 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.
- 08
Casablanca
The ultimate wartime romance, famous for its iconic script and unforgettable performances.
In Casablanca, Morocco in December 1941, a cynical American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.
- 09
Seven Samurai
An epic foundational work of action cinema that influenced decades of filmmaking.
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.
- 10
The Shawshank Redemption
A deeply moving story of hope and friendship that has become a universal favorite.
Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.
- 11
Psycho
The film that shocked the world and fundamentally changed the thriller and horror genres.
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.
- 12
Singin' in the Rain
A joyful, perfectly choreographed celebration of Hollywood’s transition to sound.
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.