A Glean movie guide
The Gold Standard: Award-Winning Dramas
The best of the Best Picture winners.
From timeless classics to modern masterpieces, these films defined cinematic excellence.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Godfather
A masterclass in storytelling that redefined the crime epic and the American dream.
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 satire that blends genres while delivering a shocking look at class conflict.
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
Schindler's List
A profound and visually stunning testament to humanity in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
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.
- 04
Oppenheimer
A sweeping, intense biographical epic that captures the moral weight of scientific discovery.
The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer's role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.
- 05
Moonlight
A poetic and visually arresting exploration of identity, masculinity, and the search for connection.
The tender, heartbreaking story of a young man’s struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love, while grappling with his own sexuality.
- 06
The Silence of the Lambs
A chilling, perfectly paced psychological thriller that remains a benchmark for the genre.
Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
- 07
Everything Everywhere All At Once
A wildly imaginative journey through the multiverse anchored by a deeply moving family story.
An aging Chinese immigrant is swept up in an insane adventure, where she alone can save what's important to her by connecting with the lives she could have led in other universes.
- 08
No Country for Old Men
A tense, philosophical pursuit across the Texas desert that subverts every expectation.
Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon dead bodies, $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert, but methodical killer Anton Chigurh comes looking for it, with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell hot on his trail. The roles of prey and predator blur as the violent pursuit of money and justice collide.
- 09
12 Years a Slave
A harrowing and essential historical drama told with unflinching honesty and grace.
In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life.
- 10
Amadeus
A lavish and brilliantly acted rivalry that brings the genius of Mozart to vibrant life.
Disciplined Italian composer Antonio Salieri becomes consumed by jealousy and resentment towards the hedonistic and remarkably talented young Salzburger composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
- 11
Spotlight
A gripping, understated procedural that honors the power of investigative journalism.
The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.
- 12
Nomadland
A quiet, soulful meditation on grief and resilience set against the vast American landscape.
A woman in her sixties embarks on a journey through the western United States after losing everything in the Great Recession, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.