Top 5 Black and White Movies of All-Time

It is hard to think of a time where all movies were black and white.  While some directors occasionally turn to it int today’s day and age, color has dominated the big screen for the larger part of the last half century.  Here is a list of the five best black and white movies out there.

#5:  Wizard of Oz (1939)

Okay, so this isn’t technically a complete black and white movie because color had just become a staple in the movie industry during the middle of the production.  As a result, the directors decided to film Oz in color while keeping the real world in black and white.  Regardless, Wizard of Oz is a classic movie that appeals to people from all age demographics.

#4:  It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

This Frank Capra classic is almost as recognizable as Christmas itself.  The movie follows the life of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) as he keeps just missing his dreams while helping people along the way.  He doesn’t realize the huge impact he has on those around him until he needs them most.  This is the perfect movie to sit down and watch with the family on Christmas Eve.

#3:  To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

This movie is probably the best book-to-film adaptations ever created.  To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on lawyer Atticus Finch as he tries to protect a falsely accused African American of a rape charges while attempting to teach his kids about prejudice.  Now that the author has released another book, we will have to wait and see if it gets a movie adaptation as well.

#2:  Citizen Kane (1941)

Often considered the greatest movie of all-time, Citizen Kane has been making movie critiques drool for over 70 years now. After the death of a big media mogul, reports rush to discover the meaning of his final words: Rosebud.  We follow the live of the tycoon as everybody is perplexed by the meaning.

Honorable Mention:

The Artist

Dr. Strangelove

12 Angry Men

Ed Wood

Psycho

#1:  Schindler’s List (1993)

The movie based on the life of Oskar Schindler is one of the best movies of all-time, let alone black and white.  When filming the movie, director Steven Spielberg said, “For me, the symbol of life is color.  That’s why a movie about the Holocaust has to be in black-and-white.”  Although he was nervous about making a movie about the Holocaust, Spielberg knocked this one out of the park.  Liam Neeson perfectly portrayed the Nazi businessman who spent all of his fortune to save the lives of over 1000 Jews during World War 2.  Schindler’s List is the best black and white movie ever made.

What’s your favorite black and white movie?  Let me know.

Top 50 Movies of All-Time (#30-21)

We are approaching and passing the halfway point of my 50 greatest movies ever!  Make sure that you have read up on my honorable mentions and #50-31!

Honorable Mention:  http://t.co/v85d8L17a9

#50-41:  http://t.co/J9gALKkZpc

#40-31:  http://t.co/S3IgVOVBG3

Now to get into the top 30!

#30:  The LEGO Movie (2014)

This is the greatest animation I have ever seen.  While it was marketed as a kid’s movie (and let’s be honest it’s one huge commercial), The LEGO Movie was just as enjoyable for adults as well.  I would list the star-studded cast, but we would be here forever.  Just go to IMDB and prepare to be stunned by just how many celebrities were in this movie.  I still can’t believe it was snubbed for Best Animation at this year’s Oscars.

#29:  It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

The oldest movie on this list, It’s a Wonderful Life is the best Christmas movie out there (with Elf as a close second).  It is such a feel-good movie and the perfect one to sit down to with the family on Christmas Eve.  This Frank Capra film is a classic and will never be forgotten.

#28:  Star Wars (VI): Return of the Jedi (1983)

As the conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy, Return of the Jedi did a great job wrapping up the best movie trilogy out there.  The passionate lightsaber battle between Luke and Darth Vader kept fans wondering if Luke would fall to the dark side all the way to the very end.  It was also the first time that we got to see an extensive look at the Emperor and force lighting.  The second Star Wars movie to crack the top 50, Return of the Jedi is the perfect way to cap off a “trilogy night” with the guys.

#27:  All the President’s Men (1976)

A grossly underrated movie, All the President’s Men is a film based on the two reporters who investigated the Watergate Scandal during the Nixon administration.  Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford portray Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward as two Washington Post investigators that pull and pry at every source or leak they can get their hands on.  We get a behind the scenes look at how these two men unraveled one of the biggest political cover-ups in US history.

#26:  The Social Network (2010)

This historical flick was a nice variation of director David Fincher’s string of thriller crime movies.  While it had all of the typical “Fincherisms” like dark lighting and low-key but powerful soundtrack, The Social Network was a lot different than Fincher’s usual movie.  It won three Oscars and was nominated for Best Picture.  We got to see the breakout of two up and coming actors Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield.  Both of them gave strong performances in The Social Network and have definitely ridden the wave of fame they got from the movie.  Who ever thought a movie about Facebook could have a trailer this cool? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RB3edZyeYw

#25:  Captain America:  The First Avenger (2011)

Captain America was the first time we got to see Chris Evans suit up as the famous superhero.  I love how Marvel decided to keep him as more of a “boy scout” than giving him a new gritty persona.  It also was the final movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before the first Avengers movie.  It is a great movie to benchmark as the halfway mark of the top 50 movies.

#24:  Lord of the Ring:  The Two Towers (2002)

The first installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy to crack the top 25, The Two Towers was primarily a movie to bridge the first and second. That being said, it is still a great stand-alone film.  We see the fellowship get broken up and the role of Gollum grows enormously.  Whether it is Aragorn preparing his army for the Battle of Helms Deep (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXC-jJhFaUI) or Frodo and Sam slowly working their way to Mount Doom,  The Two Towers is definitely one of the top 25 movies out there.

#23: The Naked Gun:  From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)

The Naked Gun is probably the funniest movie I have ever seen.  Based on the short-lived TV series Police Squad, The Naked Gun follows detective Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) and his mission to protect the Queen of England on her visit to the United States.  The dry humor and satire are similar to the humor found in Airplane!, but it carried over better in The Naked Gun. The movie is filled with random cameos and celebrities like O.J. Simpson, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Reggie Jackson, Dick Vitale, Jim Palmer, Dick Enberg, Tim McCarver, and the USC marching band.  It’s scenes like this that make the movie so great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koPEnaz0Qm8

#22:  Iron Man (2008)

The second Marvel movie to crack the top 25, Iron Man changed the game for superhero movies in 2008.  It was the flagship for Marvel’s Cinematic Universe which has grown to encompass a ridiculous amount of comic books and superheroes.  Without the success of Iron Man, the whole thing would have fallen flat on its face.  The soundtrack was exciting, Robert Downey Jr. gave a great performance as Tony Stark, and the movie was pretty realistic for a comic book.  Plus, there has never been an end credits scene that got people more excited than the one at the end of Iron Man.

#21: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

This David O. Russell masterpiece was one of the best films of 2012.  Bradley Cooper stars as a former teacher with slight mental issues trying to win back his ex-wife before he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who agrees to help him if he helps her win a dance competition.  It shows just how great a celebrity couple Cooper and J-Law would be but we can only dream.  Silver Linings Playbook deals with romance, mental instability, lying, death, and overcoming adversity while still maintaining a positive vibe throughout.  It is a definite must-see for movie fans everywhere.