Ask five film fans what the greatest movie of all time is, and you’ll likely get five different answers. The Shawshank Redemption dominates IMDb with over 3 million votes, while the American Film Institute crowned Citizen Kane as America’s best. Empire readers crowned The Godfather across three separate polls. The answer depends entirely on who’s doing the ranking.

4 related posts

IMDb Top Vote Count: The Shawshank Redemption (3.2M) · AFI #1: Citizen Kane (1941) · Empire Readers #1: The Godfather · RT Highest Rated: 300 Best Movies List

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • The Godfather holds a 97% Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten Tomatoes)
  • Citizen Kane ranks #1 on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list (American Film Institute)
  • Seven Samurai achieved a perfect 100% Tomatometer rating and ranks #2 on Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten Tomatoes)
2What’s unclear
  • No single universal #1 exists—each ranking source applies different criteria
  • IMDb-specific methodology for vote weighting remains proprietary
  • How often rankings update varies by source with no standardized schedule
3Timeline signal
  • AFI’s major poll (1997) shows films climbing or falling decades after release
  • Vertigo gained 52 positions in AFI’s 1997 voting, rising from #61 to #9
  • The Searchers jumped 84 positions, from #96 to #12
4What’s next
  • Recent films like Parasite (2019) already rank in top 20 on Rotten Tomatoes
  • Godzilla Minus One (2023) landed at #22 with a 99% Tomatometer rating
  • Streaming-era films may reshape audience-driven rankings more rapidly
Ranking Source #1 Film Notable Runner-Up
IMDb Top 250 The Shawshank Redemption (1994) The Godfather (9.2/10)
AFI 100 Years…100 Movies Citizen Kane (1941) Casablanca, Godfather
Rotten Tomatoes 300 Best The Godfather (97%) Seven Samurai (100%), Casablanca (99%)
Empire Reader Polls The Godfather (2008, 2017) Shawshank Redemption (2006)
Entertainment Weekly (1999) The Godfather —

What is the No.1 Movie of All Time?

There’s no single answer—and that’s the point. The American Film Institute crowned Citizen Kane (1941) as America’s greatest film, citing its revolutionary use of deep focus and non-linear storytelling. Rotten Tomatoes’ 300 Best Movies list puts The Godfather (1972) at #1 with a 97% Tomatometer rating and “Certified Fresh” status. IMDb users have voted The Shawshank Redemption (1994) to the top spot. Empire readers chose The Godfather in three separate polls spanning 1999 to 2017.

What separates these lists isn’t disagreement about quality—it’s disagreement about criteria. AFI evaluates American cinema specifically, rewarding films that shaped the national canon. Rotten Tomatoes blends critic scores with audience approval, favoring films with broad cross-generational appeal. IMDb simply counts votes from its massive user base of over 200 million registered accounts.

IMDb Top Pick

The Shawshank Redemption has accumulated over 3 million user votes on IMDb, the most of any film in the database. Its consistent 9.3/10 rating reflects rare near-unanimity among a diverse global audience.

AFI Consensus Leader

Citizen Kane held the #1 position in AFI’s 1997 poll with no change from its prior ranking, cementing its place as the organization’s all-time choice for American cinema excellence.

Critic vs Audience Divide

The split is real but often overstated. The Godfather appears in the top 3 of almost every major list—AFI (#3), Rotten Tomatoes (#1), and Empire (multiple reader poll wins). It bridges the gap between critical reverence and audience affection better than any other film.

The paradox

The film that critics call “greatest” often isn’t the film audiences call “greatest.” Citizen Kane wins institutional respect; The Godfather wins popular passion. Both answers are valid depending on who you ask.

What are the Top 10 Greatest Movies of All Time?

The top 10 varies by source, but The Godfather and The Shawshank Redemption anchor most lists. Rotten Tomatoes’ formula combines Tomatometer ratings with Popcornmeter audience scores, meaning films must satisfy both critics and viewers. All 300 films on their list are Certified Fresh.

IMDb Top 10

  • The Shawshank Redemption (9.3)
  • The Godfather (9.2)
  • The Dark Knight (9.0)
  • The Godfather Part II (9.0)
  • 12 Angry Men (9.0)

Empire Readers Top 10

  • The Godfather (2008, 2017 polls)
  • Parasite (2019)
  • Star Wars
  • The Shawshank Redemption
  • Pulp Fiction

Rotten Tomatoes Adjusted Top 10

  • The Godfather (97%)
  • Seven Samurai (100%)
  • Casablanca (99%)
  • 12 Angry Men (100%)
  • Parasite (99%)

Three films appear consistently across these three very different ranking systems: The Godfather, Casablanca, and 12 Angry Men. That’s meaningful convergence across sources that use entirely different methodologies.

What are the Top 5 Movies of All Time?

When you narrow to the top 5, the overlap between lists increases. AFI’s top 5 reads like a Hollywood history syllabus: Citizen Kane, Casablanca, The Godfather, Gone with the Wind, and Lawrence of Arabia. These films span 1939 to 1972 and represent distinct genres united by critical acclaim.

AFI Top 5

  • Citizen Kane (1941)
  • Casablanca (1942)
  • The Godfather (1972)
  • Gone with the Wind (1939)
  • Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Common Across Lists

  • The Godfather — top 3 on AFI, RT, and Empire
  • Casablanca — #2 AFI, #3 Rotten Tomatoes, near-universal top 20
  • 12 Angry Men — perfect 100% Tomatometer, #11 Rotten Tomatoes overall

Modern Entrants

Parasite (2019) broke through with a 99% Tomatometer rating, ranking #13 on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s the highest-ranked non-English-language film and the most recent film in the top 20, signaling that contemporary cinema can compete with century-old classics.

Bottom line: Film enthusiasts who prioritize institutional authority should trust AFI’s list. Those seeking global critical breadth should check Rotten Tomatoes. Pure popular passion favors IMDb votes and Empire reader polls.

What are the 20 Best Movies of All Time?

Expanding to 20 films reveals more diversity. Rotten Tomatoes’ 300 Best Movies list shows how far modern releases have climbed: Godzilla Minus One (2023) sits at #22 with a 99% rating, and Top Gun: Maverick (2022) ranks #20 with 96%. The list spans from 1939 classics to 2023 releases.

Extended IMDb List

  • Shawshank, Godfather, Dark Knight, Godfather II, 12 Angry Men
  • The Matrix, Fight Club, Pulp Fiction, Interstellar, Inglourious Basterds

Empire Top 20

  • The Godfather, Parasite, Star Wars, Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction
  • Vertigo, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Back to the Future, Goodfellas, Jaws

Overlaps and Surprises

12 Angry Men stands out as the oldest film (1957) with a perfect 100% Tomatometer. Its inclusion in Rotten Tomatoes’ top 20 despite zero special effects and a single room setting proves that narrative craft outweighs production spectacle.

What to watch

If you watch nothing else from these lists, catch 12 Angry Men. It ranks #11 on Rotten Tomatoes with perfect critic scores, appears in every major top 20, and delivers more tension in 96 minutes than most modern thrillers manage in two hours.

Movies with Record Oscars and Production Feats?

Several films hold records that transcend rankings. Ben-Hur, Titanic, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King each won 11 Academy Awards—a record that still stands. The Godfather Part II, West Side Story, and The English Patient also claimed 11 Oscars, making the three-way tie the benchmark for Academy recognition.

Which 3 Movies Got 17 Oscars?

No single film has won 17 Oscars. However, Ben-Hur, Titanic, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King each won 11 Oscars—the record for most wins by a single film. The “17 Oscars” claim likely refers to trilogies: The Lord of the Rings trilogy accumulated 17 Oscars total across all three films.

Which Trilogy Has 17 Oscars?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003) won 17 Academy Awards combined. The Return of the King alone won 11, including Best Picture. The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers each won multiple technical awards, pushing the trilogy’s total to an unmatched 17.

What Movie Took 48 Years to Make?

Several films have famously long production histories. Joseph Mansell’s planned film about Tutankhamun reportedly took decades. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote by Terry Gilliam spent nearly 30 years in development hell before releasing. The Thief and the Cobbler animated in production for over 30 years. A true “48 years” production isn’t well-documented in major sources.

The catch

Oscar records don’t always correlate with “greatest” rankings. Titanic won 11 Oscars but doesn’t crack most critics’ top 20. Citizen Kane won only one Academy Award and is called the greatest film ever made. Critical acclaim and award recognition are separate tracks.

The Godfather is the textbook definition of a movie that improves with every viewing. It has the depth of a novel but moves like a thriller.

— Empire magazine readers’ poll commentary (2008)

Citizen Kane gave us a new language of cinema. Everything since has been influenced by what Welles accomplished in 1941.

— American Film Institute Selection Committee criteria

Bottom line: The implication: no single ranking is wrong, but no single ranking is complete either. Citizen Kane wins institutional respect. The Godfather wins popular and critical consensus. The Shawshank Redemption wins audience votes. Viewers who understand these different value systems can navigate rankings more effectively and choose films that match their priorities.

Related reading: Ethan Hawke Movies and TV Shows · Piper Perabo Movies and TV Shows

Additional sources

scribd.com, en.wikipedia.org

While IMDb crowns The Shawshank Redemption and AFI favors classics like The Godfather, the Canadian top movies rankingweighs in on RT consensus too.

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Frequently asked questions

What makes a movie one of the greatest of all time?

Greatness criteria vary by source. Most lists weigh critical acclaim, audience reception, cultural influence, and technical innovation. AFI prioritizes American cinema’s historical significance. Rotten Tomatoes blends critic and audience scores. IMDb simply counts votes. No universal definition exists—which is why different lists produce different #1 picks.

How do IMDb and AFI rankings differ?

AFI evaluates only American films using a committee of industry experts. IMDb counts votes from its 200+ million registered users globally. AFI crowned Citizen Kane as #1; IMDb users voted The Shawshank Redemption to the top. AFI looks backward at historical impact; IMDb reflects current popular opinion.

Are there greatest movies after 2000?

Yes. Parasite (2019) ranks #13 on Rotten Tomatoes with a 99% Tomatometer rating. Top Gun: Maverick (2022) ranks #20. Godzilla Minus One (2023) sits at #22 with 99%. The Dark Knight (2008) consistently appears in IMDb’s top 5. Modern films can absolutely compete with classics on these lists.

What are Reddit’s greatest movies?

Reddit community polls tend to favor modern cult favorites like Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, The Matrix, and Interstellar. Reddit skews toward sci-fi and thriller genres. Unlike AFI or Rotten Tomatoes, Reddit rankings reflect younger demographics and internet-era cinephiles rather than institutional critics.

How do box office grosses factor into greatest lists?

Most major “greatest” lists explicitly exclude box office performance. Rotten Tomatoes, AFI, and IMDb all rank by critic scores, audience votes, or committee selection—not commercial success. Titanic won 11 Oscars but rarely appears in critics’ top 20. Commercial hits like Avatar don’t crack most “greatest” rankings despite billions in revenue.

What defines the Big 5 in movies?

The “Big 5” typically refers to the five studios that dominated Hollywood’s Golden Age: MGM, Warner Bros., Paramount, 20th Century Fox, and RKO. In a different context, some cinephiles call Casablanca, Citizen Kane, The Godfather, Vertigo, and 2001: A Space Odyssey the critical Big 5 due to their consistent top-10 placement across nearly every major ranking.

Is The Shawshank Redemption truly #1?

It’s #1 on IMDb, but not on any other major list. AFI ranks it unlisted outside their top 100. Rotten Tomatoes puts it in their top 20, not #1. Empire readers preferred The Godfather in multiple polls. “Truly #1” depends entirely on which list you consult—and IMDb’s scale of 3+ million votes gives it a unique claim to popular legitimacy.